The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as part of Presidential Employment Stimulus, is accelerating its drive for social employment as part of its portfolio of interventions to create jobs and support livelihoods. The Social Employment Fund, launched through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, is contributing to sustainable job creation through the facilitation of 50 000 new work opportunities which were delivered during its first phase.

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has established a Social Employment Fund, with the IDC as the fund manager. To date, a total amount of R800 million was invested through 28 Strategic Implementing Partners, contracted to deliver on the creation of 50,000 temporary work opportunities. 

Speaking during the Presidential Budget Vote, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “The Stimulus created nearly 650,000 work and livelihood opportunities in the past financial year. These opportunities were created in areas as diverse as basic education, small scale farming, and arts and culture. Of the people involved in the programme, 83 per cent are youth. This brings the total number of participants in the Presidential Employment Stimulus since its launch in 2020 to over 1.2 million people,” the President said. 

Dr Kate Phillip, the Programme Lead on the Presidential Employment Stimulus says that no less than 80% of the funds received needs to be spent on wages. “This ensures that the work supported by the fund is labour intensive, provides meaningful experience and delivers real social value. Social employment is not about work alone, but about creating high-quality assets and services for communities.”   

In terms of the criteria for Strategic Implementing Partners, Phillip says: “firstly, you must be an organisation involved in work that serves the common good and have a solid track record of community-based work. Over and above other institutional criteria, the organisations must demonstrate capacity to employ at least 1000 participants at an average of 66 days per ordinary participant for the 9-month duration of the Programme. Applicants will have up to 3-months to ramp-up their participant numbers to the maximum intended.”

The fund is providing other benefits – including work experience and skills – which can improve a person’s chances of being employed, becoming self-employed or starting their own business. The Social Implementing Partners offer a range of service: anything that represents work for the common good, placemaking, health and care, safety and GBV, food security, education, communications and the art.