Walking the empowerment talk
Khato Civils has created in excess of 2 000 indirect jobs through subcontracting SMMEs in the Greater Giyani Local Municipality.
This number does not include the over 600 direct jobs created by the company itself during its three-year contract to install a bulk water supply system in the Limpopo municipality.
Khato Civils general manager of operations Mark Tromp says they identified local SMMEs to provide services on the project.
He says although some of the SMMEs had shortcoming in some areas, Khato Civils forwarded some of its staff to help capacitate them in the areas of quality, safety and environmental management. “Quality is not negotiable,” he says.
Tromp says by the time the com- pany completes its three-year contract it hopes to have empowered at least 150 local people to take up permanent jobs within Khato Civils. They will be deployed to the company’s other operations within the country or across its borders.
“We introduced many people without skills. We will leave them with skills they previously did not have,” says Tromp, explaining that hiring unskilled locals also improves their chances of obtaining work with other companies.
Tromp says the benefits for locals extend beyond the construction and laying down of water pipes. The catering and mechanical fields, and provision of fuel and other relevant services have also benefitted from Khato Civils’ presence in the area.
ANC sub-region secretary in the Greater Giyani Local Municipality Tom Mokhari commends the company for creating employment and business opportunities for local people and SMMEs.
“The two companies have done a great job. Our community has benefitted in terms of job creation,” says Mokhari.
South Zambezi Engineering Services projects director Makoko Makgonye says they have put 30 interns on a 24-month program where they will be learning the finer points of civil engineering skills. He says they targeted students and graduates with qualifications or backgrounds in technical studies that would help them in the field of civil engineering.