“ActionSA cannot allow state resources to be used as a campaign tool. If the ANC and Lesufi have nothing to hide, then they will have no reason not to disclose these documents to us,” he said.
Ngobeni said the party had already written to the chair of the Gauteng provincial standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), Sochayile Khanyile, to investigate the allegations of irregularities.
However, the party claims Khanyile simply referred the matter to the speaker to investigate, who to date has not responded to ActionSA’s request for an investigation.
The party said it believed in economic prosperity and justice for all, and welcomed any initiative aimed at addressing youth unemployment in the province which now stands at a staggering 63.9%.
“However, since the start of Lesufi’s Nasi Ispani programme, we maintained that it was a cosmetic exercise attempting to show the ANC-led Gauteng provincial government at work, when in fact it has failed the youth. It cannot be allowed that state resources be used to further party-political ends,” he said.
Ngobeni stressed that all residents of Gauteng should have equal access to the jobs offered irrespective of their political affiliation, adding that Gauteng’s unemployment — more than 2-million people don't have jobs — won’t be solved through “gimmick schemes” such as Nasi Ispani, but through creating the environment for private businesses to create jobs.
Lesufi's office poured called water on the claims, labelling them as nothing but a political ploy.
“These people are just politicking. In fact, they have nothing to politic about. There is no evidence to their claims,” said the premier's spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga.
“The employment process follows a normal mode of applying to government. We can’t be accused of anything when the process has not even concluded. All the government did was to collate all available, existing vacancies in the different departments in the province and advertise them under one banner to commemorate youth month differently and ensure all open posts are filled,” Mhaga added.
“Applications are still open. We just advertised 6,000 more posts the other day. We are yet to advertise more. The process is done electronically, and an applicant is given a reference number. If any applicant wants to query the selection process they can do so individually. But the process is still open so we have not even arrived there.”
TimesLIVE
ActionSA takes legal action over Lesufi's 'Nasi Ispani' initiative
Image: Supplied
ActionSA Gauteng chair Funzi Ngobeni has vowed to block Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi from abusing the “Nasi Ispani” provincial government programme to secure jobs for ANC cadres ahead of the 2024 elections.
Ngobeni said this stunt made it clear that the ruling party was desperate to retain a majority in the province.
“After receiving hundreds of complaints from youth in Gauteng communities whose applications were rejected, we now have reason to believe that the Nasi Ispani programme was always intended as a tool to hire ANC cadres to campaign in the 2024 elections,” he said.
Because of these complaints, ActionSA promised it would kick-start a comprehensive legal process to ensure it blocks Lesufi and his party from the ensuing “cadre deployment”.
“From Mamelodi, to Alexandra, to Eldorado Park, ActionSA has heard the cries of thousands of youth who have been let down by the scheme, with their applications reportedly dumped and never even being considered,” he said.
Ngobeni said his party could not allow the cries to fall on deaf ears and therefore had instituted legal processes to force Lesufi's government to release the employment documents of all those hired under the programme.
“The first step in the legal process is a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application which, according to legislation, the Gauteng provincial government must respond to within 30 days, failing which ActionSA will lodge a PAIA appeal,” he said.
Should this application fail, the chair said the party would immediately embark on a court application to have the records disclosed to it.
Panyaza Lesufi vows full account of every CV submitted for Youth Day jobs initiative
“ActionSA cannot allow state resources to be used as a campaign tool. If the ANC and Lesufi have nothing to hide, then they will have no reason not to disclose these documents to us,” he said.
Ngobeni said the party had already written to the chair of the Gauteng provincial standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), Sochayile Khanyile, to investigate the allegations of irregularities.
However, the party claims Khanyile simply referred the matter to the speaker to investigate, who to date has not responded to ActionSA’s request for an investigation.
The party said it believed in economic prosperity and justice for all, and welcomed any initiative aimed at addressing youth unemployment in the province which now stands at a staggering 63.9%.
“However, since the start of Lesufi’s Nasi Ispani programme, we maintained that it was a cosmetic exercise attempting to show the ANC-led Gauteng provincial government at work, when in fact it has failed the youth. It cannot be allowed that state resources be used to further party-political ends,” he said.
Ngobeni stressed that all residents of Gauteng should have equal access to the jobs offered irrespective of their political affiliation, adding that Gauteng’s unemployment — more than 2-million people don't have jobs — won’t be solved through “gimmick schemes” such as Nasi Ispani, but through creating the environment for private businesses to create jobs.
Lesufi's office poured called water on the claims, labelling them as nothing but a political ploy.
“These people are just politicking. In fact, they have nothing to politic about. There is no evidence to their claims,” said the premier's spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga.
“The employment process follows a normal mode of applying to government. We can’t be accused of anything when the process has not even concluded. All the government did was to collate all available, existing vacancies in the different departments in the province and advertise them under one banner to commemorate youth month differently and ensure all open posts are filled,” Mhaga added.
“Applications are still open. We just advertised 6,000 more posts the other day. We are yet to advertise more. The process is done electronically, and an applicant is given a reference number. If any applicant wants to query the selection process they can do so individually. But the process is still open so we have not even arrived there.”
TimesLIVE
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