Durban - Twenty trainees who are being trained to manufacture furniture under the Expanded Public Works Programme could soon be supplying government departments.
This emerged as MEC for Public Works and Human Settlements Sipho ‘KK’ Nkosi interacted with the trainees under the (EPWP) Furniture Manufacturing Programme in Durban, this week.
“This initiative aims to reduce unemployment, empower historically disadvantaged individuals, and function as an exit plan for EPWP participants who are anticipated to use their newly acquired skills to enter the furniture manufacturing industry,” said the department in a statement on Tuesday.
The exit plan aims to ensure that EPWP recipients' livelihoods are sustained after their brief work on EPWP projects.
There have been complaints that the EPWP programme has been transformed into “long term” employment, contrary to its original purpose, which was to give the people skills so they move on in search of other opportunities using the skills they have learned.
“Currently, over 20 trainees who are part of the programme are being trained how to manufacture tables, chairs and benches. The department has also partnered with the Department of Education, where old and broken desks are being refurbished for schools in and around the eThekwini Metro.
“The trainees of the furniture manufacturing programme will now produce furniture for other departments, especially for the department of education. This will further reduce procurement costs for these departments. The trainees will also fix broken furniture, which will also be recycled,” the department said in a statement.
The department said this is the first groundbreaking furniture production initiative, and there will be growth of the programme to other parts of the province.