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Johannesburg - The North West provincial government is on a drive to create 20 000 jobs, starting on December 1.
Provincial finance MEC Paul Sebegoe made the announcement when tabling the R18bn 2013/14 adjustment budget in the provincial legislature in Mahikeng this week.
He said a budget allocation of R176m has been set aside to create 20 000 labour intensive job opportunities.
"It is expected that these job opportunities should be created as of 1 December this year at an average stipend of R2 200 per month per beneficiary," said Sebegoe.
He said these labour intensive job opportunities will be distributed equitably throughout the province to reduce unemployment and create jobs.
"It is expected that 5 652 jobs will be created in the Ngaka Modiri Molema district, 5 098 for Bojanala, 4 459 for Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and 4 791 for Dr Kenneth Kaunda," Sebegoe said.
The MEC indicated that the North West province is among the poorest provinces in the country with an unemployment rate of 24.7% as from September 30, 2013.
He said the province had soaring levels of poverty and an uneven spread of wealth as well as poor conditions of infrastructure that adversely affect the ability to attract potential investors.
"We can appreciate the fact that while government has put into place programmes that provide young graduates with practical workplace experience, huge employment demand still exists in the unskilled and semi-skilled sector of society.
"It is within that context that the provincial government has committed resources towards creation of labour intensive job opportunities in the province in order to address some of the immediate challenges government is facing," said Sebegoe.
