Cape Town – ActionSA Gauteng chair Funzi Ngobeni has reportedly accused Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi of using the “Nasi Ispani” government programme to secure jobs for ANC party members ahead of the 2024 elections.
Nasi Ispani was aimed at addressing youth unemployment in Gauteng.
According to Times Live, Ngobeni claimed that many youths in Gauteng had had their applications rejected, leading to suspicions that the programme was designed to hire ANC cadres for campaign purposes.
ActionSA has vowed to block Lesufi from this alleged abuse and has initiated legal processes to obtain employment records of those hired under the programme, the report said.
“After receiving hundreds of complaints from youth in Gauteng communities whose applications were rejected, we now have reason to believe that the Nasi Ispani programme was always intended as a tool to hire ANC cadres to campaign in the 2024 elections.
“From Mamelodi, to Alexandra, to Eldorado Park, ActionSA has heard the cries of thousands of youth who have been let down by the scheme, with their applications reportedly dumped and never even being considered,” the report quoted Ngobeni as saying.
In response, Lesufi’s office dismissed the claims as political maneuvering, The Citizen reported.
Slating the ActionSA claims, Lesufi’s spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said on Wednesday that the deadline for Nasi Ispani applications was extended to tomorrow (Thursday) – “so it does not make sense for people to make allegations of impropriety, when no appointments have been made”.
“More than 500 000 people have already applied,
“The priority is not just to fill the advertised funded public service positions, but to mobilise resources in the public and private sector – to help create job opportunities for all those who applied.
“The focus is on helping the millions of unemployed youth to get jobs and not to entertain fantasies of people who have too much time on their hands.
“This is a transparent process and all relevant state institutions will play their oversight role,” the report quoted Pamla as saying.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
