George Municipality’s Thusong outreach to the Blanco community with key sector departments was very well received and more outreaches will be rolled out once a month to other communities in the George jurisdiction.

Last week, the George Municipality together with key sector departments, as well as businesses kicked off their planned Thusong Service outreach to raise awareness of the integrated services available to communities at their doorstep. It took place in the Blanco Community Hall.

The George Municipality Community Development section, the George Municipality Youth Development subsection, the George Municipality Thusong Programme, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department Employment and Labour, IEC, SEDA, the Department of Social Development, SARS and Cell C attended the outreach.

The stakeholders supplied the community in Blanco with important government information and services. The Government Communication and Information System Department (GGCIS) provided the necessary communication support, through mobilisation, profiling the campaign and getting key sector departments to participate. The Thusong outreach assisted 136 community members from rural Blanco.

According to Adam Lewie from Waboomskraal Thusong Centre who was involved with the outreach, community members who attended the outreach were excited for the opportunities they were exposed to that can lead to jobs, an economic boost and further education and training opportunities. The Department of Employment and Labour officials registered unemployed people attending, for job opportunities when it becomes available.

Cell C presented self-employment opportunities to the community involving Rica and the selling of airtime and data.

SEDA presented their non-financial business skills training, while the IEC registered community members on the voters’ roll. Home Affairs assisted with identity and birth certificate applications, while GCIS distributed information on various important issues like anti-corruption campaigns, gender-based violence, vaccination boosters, cervical cancer and much more. They also spoke to the community members about the topics.

The Youth Development office spoke to the youth on how the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) can assist young people with non-financial and financial support to start their own small businesses, the SA Youth Mobi, where young people can register their CV’s without using data, for possible work opportunities. They were also informed of how to use the system to apply for bursaries and to further their education.

Dates for the next Thusong Outreach is 10 March at New Dawn Park Hall, 14 April at Thembalethu Hall, 12 May at Outeniqua Primary School, 9 June at Thembalethu Zone 9 Hall and 14 July at Rosemoor Community Hall. All of the outreaches will start at 10h00 but the time can change due to loadshedding.