The department of home affairs will this month start recruiting 10,000 youths to digitise its paper system. The mass recruitment was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his state of the nation address last month.
Responding to parliamentary questions after the Sona, home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said more than R222bn had been requested from the Treasury for the project. The amount was expected to cover equipment and salaries.
Motsoaledi said the hiring process would be fair and transparent, with women and people living with disabilities being prioritised.
He clarified that the project was not an internship programme but would be open to all unemployed youths.
Youth living in rural areas, without internet connection, would not be left out.
“The acquisition process will adopt a blended approach wherein applications are received through walk-in centres, Thusong centres, labour centres and on digital platforms. Advertisements will be placed on social media platforms, radio, notices at the Thusong centres, labour centres. Geographic spread representativeness with due consideration to rural areas with little or no smart devices and or connectivity will be ensured,” Motsoaledi said in the written response.
His department intended on using a model similar to that used by the Department of Education when it employed thousands of assistant teachers.
