Youth empowerment a continued priority for Western Cape Human Settlements | Western Cape Government

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Youth empowerment a continued priority for Western Cape Human Settlements

15 June 2020

As we embark on celebrating Youth Day 2020, it is critical for all young people of the Western Cape to know that for the Provincial Department of Human Settlements, they continue to be one of our priorities. We’re fully aware that many young people face significant challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted this.
 
For this and many other reasons, empowerment remains a key focus area of this Department, particularly since we’re committed to assisting the youth in the province through training and empowerment programmes. To demonstrate this, we have consistently ensured that not less than 50% of our Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG) is allocated to Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s), and for this financial year, it is no different. 
 
 Through the Contractor Framework, in January 2020, SMME’s, contractors with HDI status, and enterprises with women and youth representation, were once again invited to submit their bids for future tenders.
 
This is confirmed by the 21 contractors with youth representation that are on current projects throughout the province. During my recent visit to Grabouw, I had the opportunity to meet one of these young contractors, who is doing a sterling job. He has ensured that 100% of the labour force is locally sourced, with 20% being young people. He has continued to empower other young people and this must be commended. In addition to this and with the Department utilising the EPWP-programme, 800 job opportunities will be created during the current financial year.
 
To further demonstrate our commitment to the empowerment of the youth, during the 2019/20 financial year, 181 young people from across the province and inclusive of Drakenstein, Overberg, the Cape Metro and Garden Route, received accredited artisan training in plastering, plumbing, painting, bricklaying, carpentry, health and safety and other technical training. Not only were these young people trained, but they’ve also been placed at the various projects across the Western Cape.
 
Upskilling our young people will ensure they are either able to become entrepreneurs and eventually create opportunities for other young people or acquire meaningful employment.
 
Empowerment is however not only limited to training and placement, it is also affording those who might be in the market to acquire a house to fulfill a dream, but still need government assistance, the opportunity to do so. This is exactly what we’ve done through our Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP), where between 1 June 2019 and the end of May 2020, we have assisted 273 youth applicants. 
 
FLISP is one of our housing programmes where a subsidy is available for first-time home buyers to assist with purchasing a home. The criteria to qualify for FLISP is:

  • Your combined gross monthly income is between R3 501 to R22 000.
  • You are a South African citizen or have permanent residency in South Africa.
  • You or your partner have not received a government housing subsidy before.
  • You or your partner have not owned fixed residential property before.
  • You are competent to contract - over 18 years.
  • You are married or cohabiting.
  • You are single with financial dependents.

Should you meet all our criteria and qualify for a mortgage loan, we’ll provide you with a subsidy, which is paid to your bank or financial institution and will reduce your monthly loan instalments, making it more affordable to purchase a home. This option opens-up so many opportunities, one of which is, purchasing an existing or new residential property for the first time from either private or public led developments thereby reducing the waiting period. For a young person, it also ensures homeownership at and from a very young age.
 
Further to this we are also looking forward to the construction of student accommodation at the Belhar CBD project, which will commence this year. It is envisaged that this will yield 2 000 opportunities.
 
We are committed to empowering our young people and providing them with an array of affordable housing opportunities.

 

Media Enquiries: 

Marcellino Martin
Spokesperson for Minister Tertuis Simmers
Tel: 021 483 3397
Mobile: 082 721 3362
Email: Marcellino.martin@westerncape.gov.za

or

Nathan Adriaanse
Director Communication & Stakeholder Relations
Tell: 021 483 2868
Mobile: 083 2631720
Email: Nathan.Adriaanse@westerncape.gov.za