Note to editors: Please find the attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is reviving his vanity project, the Nasi Ispani Programme with a commitment to creating 40,000 jobs, yet the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) departments have struggled to keep the programme afloat due to funding issues. This led to the collapse of the programme, leaving thousands of people unemployed and stranded, as it was only capable of providing temporary relief.
This happened despite the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng warning that this programme is a flawed political gimmick, lacking sufficient funding. The hopes of residents employed under the Nasi Ispani Brigade in the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) were shattered as their contracts abruptly ended in March 2025 due to budget constraints.
This information was recently revealed by the GDSD MEC, Faith Mazibuko, in an oral reply to questions posed by the DA in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL). According to the MEC, the contracts for the Nasi Ispani Brigades expired on 31 March 2025. She further stated that a special request for R48 million to be reallocated was made to cover these contracts until they expire.
The money had to be sourced from other social development programmes to keep the wheels of Nasi Ispani project turning. This confirms that Nasi Ispani is an unfunded mandate that expects departments to create jobs without funding to meet this objective.
Premier Lesufi has a track record of unsuccessful job creation initiatives and promises, including the Tshepo 1 Million programme, which failed to deliver jobs and skills to unemployed Gauteng residents. The 2022/23 annual report indicated it did not meet Technical Indicator Descriptor (TID) requirements or pass the consistency test. During his 2024 State of the Province address, he promised to employ Crime Prevention Wardens permanently, but this commitment remains unfulfilled. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of the relaunched Nasi Ispani programme in addressing the needs of 2.7 million unemployed residents in Gauteng.
The DA Gauteng has sent follow-up questions to MEC Mazibuko to clarify where the R48 million came from because of concerns that social development projects may have been cut to fund the Nasi Ispani Brigades. DA has also tabled questions to Premier Lesufi to ascertain where the funding for 40,000 jobs will come from, and the number of jobs assigned to GDSD.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government will not make irresponsible promises of fake jobs for political gain that ultimately worsen the lives of those affected. Instead, we will create a conducive environment for encouraging investors to come in and create sustainable jobs for our people.
The DA Gauteng will continue to hold Premier Lesufi and his provincial government accountable for this programme that has caused pain for our people and left many in a state of destitution.