The 50th National Arts Festival, held annually in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, may have drawn to a close but, with ‘Shaping Together’ as its theme, the organisers’ work continues. Not only to host the renowned The National Arts Festival (NAF) 2025 but also in terms of the ongoing upliftment programmes it oversees in the town.
NAF is one of Social Employment Fund’s (SEF) strategic implementation partners – a collaboration aimed at empowerment though the creation of job opportunities. NAF manages over 2 000 previously unemployed locals at its various projects in Makhanda, with each participant paid a stipend for this part-time work. The projects focus on community development, while maintaining and upgrading the town infrastructure and include clearing storm water drains, fixing potholes, collecting litter, fixing schools, planting gardens, recycling waste and working for social change.
Creating opportunities
Hilton Haakonsen, Project Manager of NAF’s SEF, says, ‘participants are drawn from all areas of the community. Some even have master’s degrees, others haven’t finished school but the commonality is employment and, more importantly, skills development. SEF is about work that needs to be done and people that need work.’
Participants are divided into groups and given various tasks, for which they are trained and paid. ‘We are extremely proud of the SEF projects which are fully integrated,’ says Monica Newton, CEO of NAF. ‘The refuse collected is sorted, glass and plastic recycled and reused, alien vegetation is chipped, turned in compost and used in our food gardens. It’s about the projects collaborating to make ensure our efforts are successful.’
Since the inception of SEF in Makhanda two years ago, there has been a 90% reduction in litter along the river banks and garbage going to the landfill has also reduced by over 20%. Additional successes include:
- Increased food security and nutrition through the establishment of 27 food gardens, including one home garden and a large market garden
- Maintenance of over 27 schools and ECD centres
- Greening the environment and clearing over 51 hectares of invasive plants
Paving Makhanda’s future – one brick at a time
One of the latest projects is a factory making bricks and pavers. This began a few months ago, borne out of a need for building materials and finding alternative uses for recycled material. The bricks are produced using a mix of ground recycled glass and finely chipped plastic, mixed with cement.
‘We have tested different combinations over the past months in terms of the size of the plastic chip, crushed glass and the percentage of cement and water,’ says Haakonsen. ‘Now, after this R&D and endless weighing and recording of the test phases, we are ready to go into production and already have a few orders.’
The current production is eight blocks at a time but the team is hoping to secure funding for a second machine to increase this. Blocks are M6 in size and the pavers are 50mm pedestrian pavers. Initial plans are to use these for pavements and to build retaining walls.
Haakonsen says the aim is to become self-sustainable from the sale of compost, bricks and pavers.
Skills transfer
Part of the SEF programme includes life skills training as well as teaching participants additional skills to help them perform better. Participation in work not only provides much-needed income through stipends, it also gives people entry-level work readiness skills and the confidence to seek work opportunities. These are vital for securing a job but it also enhances their chances of becoming self-employed or starting an enterprise.
‘Receiving a stipend for work done instils a sense of dignity and purpose. It reinforces the fact that participants are earning their livelihood through their efforts and contributions within their communities,’ says Newton. ‘It has been incredible to watch the transformation of people, who haven’t had a job for years, earn their own money. They are not only proud of the work they are doing but are also first-hand witnesses to the difference they are making within the community.’
Through NAF’s projects, participants have gone on to gain permanent employment, as team leaders, with the others employed for a few days a month on a contract period.
The role of SEF
The SEF is bold and ambitious, vital in addressing unemployment and helping foster economic resilience. To date, over 117 000 people have participated in and benefitted through SEF nationally. Made up of 65% youth and a 70% women workforce, around 65% of the work is in rural and peri-urban areas.
‘Investing in social employment is not just a matter of economic policy, it is a commitment to building a more inclusive and prosperous society,’ says SIvu Siwisa, Social Employment Network Campaign Manager. ‘From individuals to the broader community and economy, through enhanced employability, economic growth, social inclusion and reduced unemployment.’
The SEF is open to additional collaboration and partnerships, if you are keen to make a difference or to be part of the SEF initiative, go to www.socialemploymentfund.co.za for more information.
