National Department of Tourism, SA, Pumps R50 Million for Job Creation

With an investment of R50 million by the National Department of Tourism around 200 unemployed youth will be engaged for training in the tourism industry which will be driving more tourists to visit various destinations in the country.

The programme will initially start in Gauteng and youth between the age of 18-35 will be trained in areas related to information and tour-guide training, customer-service and safety-awareness training.

Victor Tharage, director general of the Department of Tourism said that sufficient skill set should be inculcated that should provide adequate assistance to the tourists, it might also be expected that there might be intense tour-guide training at a later period.

The Toursim Monitor Programme will initially start from Johannesburg, Tshwanene, Sedibeng, Ekurhuleni and the West Rand while in the next three years it was expected to target other provinces.

Youth having no criminal record, with matric and the ability to communicate well in English and two African languages will be eligible for the recruitment process starting from this year.

The training will be provided by independent service providers conducted by the department of Community Safety which is a part of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

As per the Minister of Tourism, Thokozile Xasa the participants will be receiving R3,600 per month stipend and a uniform line. The tourism monitors will be assisting in the #WeDoToursim campaign.

There will be around 200 safety monitors to take up the post at Gauten's tourist hot spots that will include Soweto and OR Tambo International Airport.