Johannesburg — Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has reignited one of the province’s most ambitious employment drives, relaunching the Nasi Ispani job creation programme with a bold promise: 40,000 new jobs for Gauteng residents. But as applause fades, questions over how the province will pay for it are growing louder.
First launched in 2023 as a flagship project to tackle youth unemployment, Nasi Ispani abruptly collapsed in March 2025, leaving thousands jobless after funding dried up. Now, with elections on the horizon and public trust at stake, Lesufi is doubling down on the programme—despite mounting fiscal concerns.
R48 million was already reallocated from other critical social programmes earlier this year to prop up temporary contracts, confirmed Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko. This financial juggling act has sparked fresh backlash.
Leading the charge is the DA’s Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, Refiloe Nt’sekhe, who slammed the relaunch as an “unfunded mandate”—and a political maneuver rather than a sustainable employment solution.
“Lesufi is selling false hope to desperate South Africans,” Nt’sekhe warned. “These aren’t long-term jobs—they’re electioneering tools. Meanwhile, critical services could be crippled to keep this afloat.”
The DA has demanded full transparency from the Gauteng government—calling for a detailed breakdown of departmental job allocations, along with clarity on where the money will come from.
While Lesufi maintains that Nasi Ispani is a necessary intervention to combat spiraling unemployment, critics argue that real, lasting change must come from private sector growth and investment—not short-term contracts funded by cuts to social services.
As Gauteng balances on a financial tightrope, one question remains: Is Nasi Ispani a lifeline, or a ticking time bomb for the province’s budget and credibility?
