Nelson Mandela Bay Youth to combat water leaks

The Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) handed over plumbing tools to 83 young people to assist the municipality in stopping water leaks across the City.

The 83 youths are part of a programme driven by the municipality Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) office. The progamme was designed to give skills for self-sustainability, create jobs for young people and help the municipality to curb a challenge of water leaks.

The young people who hail from all the areas of  the Nelson Mandela Bay have undergone plumbing training through the municipality Water Services Sub-directorate, private plumbing companies and East Cape Training Centre. The Nelson Mandela Bay formed an agreement with the private plumbing companies who won contracts with the municipality to absorb the youth, train them and use them within the water leaks project.

At the completion of the training late last year, they were handed over with certificates that qualified them as plumbers. Currently they are still working under different companies that are doing work for the municipality.

They will use the tools to work within the companies they have been seconded to. On completion of their contracts with the companies, if they are not absorbed, they will use the tools to sustain themselves by creating their own plumbing cooperatives and businesses.

An excited beneficiary, Thanduxolo Vuyi from Joe Slovo West said he was in loss of words on how grateful he was about the change the municipality has done to his life. “To me it was never about money when I joined the project. I wanted skills that I can use to sustain myself and my family. Now I do not only have skills, I have also been given tools that I can use,” said Vuyi.

Vuyi said he hoped the project can grow bigger and cover other skills that are required by industry, where other young people can benefit. “We need more of these programmes, young people want to work and even create job for others, what they need is support,” he added.

Another beneficiary, Anela Mbanga from Despatch said he will ‘never suffer again’ with the skills he has acquired. “It is up to me to make something of myself. The foundation has been made, I have not been given a fish, I have been taught how to fish and further more given a fishing rod,” said Mbanga.

Nelson Mandela Bay Infrastructure and Engineering Portfolio Chairman Andile Mfunda who leads the programme was equally excited about the tools handover. “We are not only giving tools to people, we have trained them to be able to use them in assisting the municipality to save water,” said Councillor Mfunda. He said: “The challenge we have of water being wasted through water leaks will soon be a thing of the past. This is a mutually beneficial partnership between the municipality, private sector and our communities,” he added.