The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, will launch the Youth Jobs in Waste Programme in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State on 17 June 2013.

The event will mark the official launch of the project, which is aimed at enhancing the capacity of municipalities to provide waste services whilst providing decent and sustainable work for young people. The launch is yet another departmental initiative that coincides with the celebrations of both Environment and Youth Month (June) in South Africa.

This year’s theme for World Environment Day, as set by the United Nations, is “Think. Eat. Save” and the department has also adopted this theme for Environment Month. “The Youth Jobs in Waste Programme is in line with the ideals of both these months as it targets job creation for the youth and also seeks to address issues of waste management, which is one of the department’s key objectives,” said a statement recently released by the Department.

Studies that the Department of Environmental Affairs has conducted have revealed that it is necessary to create capacity within municipalities to lessen the burden in respect of the provisioning of waste services. The capacity gaps in municipalities present an opening for the creation of job opportunities, on-the-job training, continuous up-skilling, as well as enterprise development for the youth.

“An estimated 1 000 job opportunities will be created by placing young people in municipalities as Landfill Site Assistants, Waste Collection Administrators and Environmental Awareness Educators. Further work opportunities will be created from the construction activities associated with the building or erection of landfill site offices, ablution facilities, as well as weigh-pad platforms at landfill sites across the country.”