Johannesburg – The Gauteng Provincial Government has announced the relaunch of its ‘Nasi iSpani Reloaded’ programme, an initiative aimed at equipping unemployed youth with skills that meet the province’s critical needs.
The announcement was made during a provincial media briefing on 3 September.
The programme is set to officially restart on 6 September, offering more than 45,000 training opportunities in high-demand fields such as bricklaying, plumbing, welding, and electronic repairs.
We said it. We are doing it.
The Gauteng Provincial Government is reigniting its commitment to address unemployment by investing in hands-on skills development.
Over 45 000 training opportunities in bricklaying, plumbing, welding, electronic repairs and more.
Let’s build a… pic.twitter.com/DtXxZ13qvW
— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) August 31, 2025
Premiere Panyaza Lesufi issued a statement on the issues that are affecting the province and shared key outcomes from the recent Executive Council Lekgotla.
MEDIA STATEMENT| Statement by Premier Panyaza Lesufi on various issues affecting the province. #GrowingGautengTogether pic.twitter.com/9MEpFSNe3g
— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) September 3, 2025
Lesufi discussed how the Nasi iSpani is a transformative programme aimed at combating unemployment, build state capacity, and deter crime through job creation and skills development across Gauteng.
“Nasi Ispani is not a panacea or a magic wand that will solve the problem of unemployment.
“However, its core objective is to build a capable state by hiring residents directly for public service roles, thereby reducing the province’s dependence on external service providers.
“It also aims to skill the youth to ensure they are in a better position to get jobs in the public or private sectors or to become entrepreneurs or self-employed.
“These 45,000 work and training opportunities will include internships; work-integrated learning; artisanal development in mining communities; the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative; and the filling of vacancies, said Lesufi.
During the briefing Lesufi explained that Nasi iSpani is a short-term support system, however there are also long-term support system in place.
[WATCH]: Premier @Lesufi explains the relaunch of the #NasiiSpani recruitment programme and the provincial governments plans to address unemployment by creating both long and short term employment for Gauteng residents. #GautengAtWork #GrowingGautengTogether pic.twitter.com/VCQnVzLnAE
— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) September 3, 2025
“We have just went through our investment conference and we were there. We managed to gather almost R300 billion, which are new people that are going to create permanent jobs for our people”, said Lesufi.
Lesufi acknowledged the significant challenges posed by the underperforming economy and the subsequent downsizing occurring within various institutions.
However, he confirmed that despite these setbacks, there are positive economic developments. New companies are continuing to invest in the country, signaling ongoing confidence in its market.
Furthermore, he announced a concrete achievement: a signed agreement with a province in China. This partnership is specifically designed to service and enhance South Africa’s agricultural sector.
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Compiled by Anda Tolibadi
