Johannesburg – ActionSA says it has written to the provincial Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) Chairperson Sochayile Khanyile to investigate Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s Nasi Ispani initiative, which has advertised 8 000 jobs.
Soon after the launch of the initiative on Youth Day, allegations surfaced that some hardcopy CVs submitted by job seekers were inexplicably “dumped”.
The allegations have sparked fears of preferential recruitment and clandestine political campaigning.
ActionSA Gauteng Spokesperson James de Villiers on Thursday said: “We welcome the initiative aimed at addressing the crisis of youth unemployment, which is currently standing at 63.9%.
“However, we cannot standby and allow state resources to be used as electioneering gimmicks by Premier Lesufi and the ANC to induce votes in next year’s national and provincial governments’ elections.
“All residents of Gauteng should have equal access to the jobs offered.
“We are equally concerned by allegations that the hundreds of paper-based applications submitted by countless youth on June 16 have been irregularly discarded, and they therefore will not find consideration for the job opportunities said to be on offer.”
De Villiers called on the Gauteng SCOPA to investigate the allegations.
There were reports of the online application process being inaccessible.
ActionSA Gauteng Youth Forum has also weighed in on the matter, saying government job applications should be accessible online to avoid barriers to entry and to remove possible abuse by government officials.
Commentng on the matter, Vuyo Mhaga, Gauteng Premiers’ Office Spokesperson, dismissed as untrue allegations that hardcopy CVs were thrown away.
“All the submitted CVs are captured on our database, and all the people who are qualified for positions they applied for will be considered and would go through the process,” Mhaga said.
He said anyone around Gauteng is encouraged to apply for the positions they are qualified for, irrespective of age.
The Nasi Ispani job applications can be done online at http://www.professionaljobcentre.gpg.gov.za.
The closing date for applications is 14 July 2023.
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