The MEC for Public Works in Limpopo, Mr George Phadagi, says that former members of the ANC´s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, who have started a concrete factory in Tshififi, outside Thohoyandou, have set a good example for people in rural areas to emulate.

Phadagi was speaking during the official launch of a project to empower former MK members, who have been without jobs since leaving the force. The launch took place at Tshififi village outside Thohoyandou on Friday afternoon.

Speaking at the launch of the project, which is a cooperative of 71 former MK members, including 18 women, Phadagi said in South Africa, the trend was that people used to leave the rural areas for urban areas to seek employment. “Rather than continuing to complain that they have no jobs, they have created jobs for themselves,” said Phadagi.

“This is because people in rural areas never used to be manufacturers. This trend is now changing. This means that Takuwani has changed this and people will come from all corners of the country to seek work as well as skills transfers,” he said.

Phadagi further praised the executive mayor of Vhembe District Municipality, Mr Falaza Mdaka, calling him a visionary for having agreed to put forward an amount of R4-million to support the kick-starting of the project. “As the Department of Works does that type of work, the municipality has made our job easier,” says Phadagi.

He expressed caution that they should guard against bickering, which is a challenge to most businesses when they start to grow.

The former soldiers are using concrete to build many things, including precast toilets or foundations for houses. The well-known firm of Murray & Roberts has become their strategic partner and is working with the cooperatives.

A representative of Murray & Roberts, Mr Caswell Makama, said his organisation was ready to assist the cooperative as a way of fulfilling their social responsibility. The local traditional leader, Chief Tshikalange, said he was happy with what the Vhembe District Municipality had done for the unemployed former soldiers. “I gave land for them. I will be happier if the government starts a bridge in this area, a clinic and some factories,” said the chief, who added that he did not approve of bottle stores being built in his area.

One of the beneficiaries, Jonas Baloyi of MphakatiBasani outside Malamulele, said they had been marginalised for the past 15 years. He said some of them could not be absorbed in the new defence force because they did not have the required educational standards. “When we could not be absorbed, we thought our government would give us other opportunities, but for the past fifteen years we have been without jobs,” he said.