​Last Friday the Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe visited Philani Community Development Centre, a Non-Profit-Organization (NPO) funded by the department in Zuurbekom, West Rand.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the partnership between the Department and the centre in the fight against unemployment.

The centre provide skills development programme to the unemployed youth in the West Rand. Among the training skills provided by the centre are:
• Information and Referral
• Social Change – Young Women Skills Revolution, GBVF and LGBTQI+
• Skills Development – Life Skills, Technical Skills, Business Skills, Computer, Financial  and Marketing
• Entrepreneurship Development – Incubation of cooperatives, Social and Individual Entrepreneurship and Linkage to market value chains
• Community Nutrition Development Centre

Addressing the staff and graduates during her visit at the centre, Mosupyoe said, “It was important for me to touch on the mandate of Social Development. I am not going to explain it the way it is written on the annual performance plan. If you understand the work done by Philani Community Development Centre, that is our mandate; we look after vulnerable groups in our society. It is our responsibility to ensure that those groups are looked after, they go to school, eat and they are developed. I would like to applaud you, for coming up with the idea to establish the cooperative and we are here to support you. I would also like to commend Philani for developing people in the West Rand Region” she said.

Mosupyoe wrapped up her visit by honouring several young people who have completed their training with the centre. They acquired skills in plumbing, agro-food, computer, welding, carpentry, electrical, baking, fashion design, beauty salon, pottery, paralegal and mattress manufacturing. The department has promised to assist the graduates to establish cooperatives.