DURBAN - The Chief Director of Space affairs at the Department of Trade and Industry Nomfuneko Majaja says that the Workplace Challenge Programme has led to the sustaining of more than 50 000 jobs and creating a further 250 since it was founded.
Majaja made the announcement at 20-year celebrations of the Workplace Challenge Programme which took place in Botshabelo in the Free State.
The WPC Programme is a joint initiative between the dti and Productivity South Africa (Productivity SA) that is implemented over a period of 24-months. The aim of the programme is to encourage and support negotiated workplace transformation to improve productivity and job creation.
According to Majaja, enterprises that have participated in the WPC programme have received funding of R151 million altogether and had generated more than R1.88 billion in total turnover.
Majaja said, "These figures are a sure sign of progress and we must sustain it and forge partnerships with the WPC programme to support our flagship programmes such as the Black Industrialists Programme, the Industrial Park Revitalisation Programme and the Special Economic Zones Programme".
She added that they also see the WPC Programme building a competitive manufacturing sector within the Industrial Policy Action Plan.
Majaja also gave a brief on the web-based monitoring and evaluation system has been launched to determine the impact of WPC on participating companies.
The chief executive of Productivity SA, Mothunye Mothiba called on prospective entrepreneurs to create ideas amongst each other, to test the feasibility of success of these ideas and to pursue those that demonstrate the potential of success.
“We must accept that productivity is the most effective tool to maximise production, especially amongst our small and medium enterprises as they are the catalysts for economic growth. By helping our enterprises enrol on the WPC Programme we will be equipping them with the means to reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality,” said Mothiba.
Mothiba also announced on the upcoming national Workplace Challenge programme national awards that will take place on Friday, 19 October 2018.