Dial in to township success

Taxicom Mobile has committed to job creation for SA’s youth.

New mobile network T Mobile hopes to boost local employment and create quality opportunities post Covid-19. The black-owned mobile network, founded by mining and coal investor Joel Mafenya, is to roll out one of the country’s largest community-based call centres that will give employment to many South Africans.

Youth unemployment is expected rise due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

A large number of black people in disadvantaged communities and those from low-income households with already vulnerable jobs are among the hardest hit, “with many of them sadly sinking deeper into poverty”, said Mafenya.

With over two million South Africans having lost their jobs last year alone and SA’s jobless number now sitting at 7.2 million, Taxicom Mobile will soon embark on several upskilling and reskilling programmes expected to create about 6 000 quality employment opportunities within the next five years.

“We are taking bold steps to empower our people to take control and ownership of their lives through our massive job creation programme,” Mafenya said.

“As a technology-driven organisation, we had to find ways to bring services and solutions that our people not only need, but that which will also empower them to become active participants in the economy.”

Job creation strategy

As a company with deep roots in community development, Taxicom Mobile’s aim is to create another meaningful contribution “through existing business empowerment opportunities for individuals and small enterprises”, Mafenya added.

Benefits for local businesses, like spaza shops, taverns, stokvels and taxi associations, include distributor or agent network partnerships to sell airtime, data and smartphones, as well as do money transfers and other transactions, like the sale of electricity and payment of DStv accounts.

Individuals would be able to sell airtime and data through the Taxicom Mobile app to colleagues at work, schools, universities and “literally everywhere”.

“Our strong focus for job creation and business opportunities would be predominantly in the townships and rural communities,” Mafenya said.

During the official media launch of Taxicom Mobile, Mafenya also announced the roll-out of two talent search programmes – the TaxiCom Townships Call to Fame and Rural Theatre competitions.

The company intended to invest in promising artistic talent “to provide a platform for creatives to turn their passions into sustainable careers.”

For more information, contact Tankiso Komane on 068-5324-932.