​Nasi Ispani is an initiative aimed at connecting unemployed youth with job opportunities in Gauteng government departments. The campaign targets young people eager to work and contribute to building a thriving province that serves its communities.

One such beneficiary is 27-year-old Thabo Molefe, a resident of Ward 16 in RusterVaal, Sedibeng. Like many young people in the province, he faced unemployment after completing matric. However, his circumstances changed when he came across a job advertisement on the Gauteng Premier’s X account. He registered on the Gauteng Provincial Government Jobs Portal and applied for a position as a Sawubona Mhlali brigade member. Three months later, he secured the job.


Today, Molefe works at the Gauteng Department of Social Development as a Data Capturer. His role involves engaging with communities to identify and document social issues falling within the department’s mandate. He helps connect people with the relevant government services that can assist them.


Speaking at a recent Ke Moja Fridays event in Ruster Vaal at a campaign focused on tackling drug abuse, Molefe shared how he used the opportunity to encourage some of his former classmates struggling with substance abuse to seek help. He informed them about free government rehabilitation services available through the department.


Molefe described the job as life-changing, especially after losing his father, who was the family’s sole breadwinner. "This opportunity came at a time when I needed it the most. It allowed meto support my family and ,at the same time, serve my community, “he said. ”I have grown to love this job because it enables me to uplift and inform young people about the services available to them."


What makes the Sawubona Mhlali Service Delivery Brigades particularly effective is that they live within the communities they serve. This firsthand knowledge allows them to provide the Department with accurate and relevant data on pressing social issues. Molefe and his fellow brigades hope that their roles will be formalized, allowing them to continue making a lasting impact in their communities.