Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, provincial health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, and the Gauteng Emergency Services (EMS) have handed over employment contracts to 1,120 interns to join the healthcare service programmes.
The handover ceremony was held at the Change Bible Church in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni.
Premier @Lesufi and MEC @NkomoNomantu hand over employment contracts to 1 120 @GautengEMS interns who have successfully completed a rigorous assessment process to join the Green Angels for a period of 12 months and will be earning a stipend of R5 000 every month #AsibeHealthyGP… pic.twitter.com/JA9fNElhUL
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) April 2, 2024
This is a 12-month Green Angels Emergency Care Internship Programme, which according to the health department, will equip them with essential training and valuable experience enabling them to become employable and market-ready in the field of emergency care.
The programme is executed via the Nasi Ispani initiative aimed at tackling poverty, crime and lawlessness. They will be earning a R5,000 stipend every month.
We are at the Change Bible Church in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni where Premier @Lesufi and MEC @NkomoNomantu are welcoming 1 120 @GautengEMS interns who will today be handed their official appointment letters for a 12-month period which will equip them with essential training and… pic.twitter.com/GcZiDHGPRR
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) April 2, 2024
Addressing the crowd, Lesufi welcomed the interns and urged them to ensure that the province was well taken care of.
"I am proud today, standing in front of you, removing you from the list of the unemployed. Every month R5,000 will hit your pockets as part of your stipends.
"While training them to be disaster care workers, we will provide a R5,000 stipend for the year-long training. 1,200 unemployed youth in class not on our streets. Less talk, more work! Gauteng, home of opportunities," he said.
The premier cautioned the interns not to fall on the narratives that they were employed because they belonged to a certain party.
"Don't believe that you are here because you have a membership of a certain political party, don't believe them that you are doing it because there is a date on May 29.
"We are doing this because we are tired of unemployment and we want to tackle it," he said.
This follows months of backlash and criticism from local authorities and residents over how the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) hired batches of crime wardens without proper training or adequate resources.
Many alleged that the programme was an electioneering campaign to get people to vote for the African National Congress (ANC), and not to crack down on unemployment or crime as intended.
In January, DA leader John Steenhuisen referred to AmaPanyaza as drunkards taken from shebeens. He also said their uniforms were purchased from Pep stores.
Furthermore, set on the pipelines, Lesufi said that they will do the same thing with 500,000 unemployed people on April 6.
In addition, the Gauteng EMS will also launch the new additional resources procured to meet the service delivery needs of the community especially in TISH areas (Townships, Informal Settlement and Hostels).
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