Launch of Motsepe Foundation and Religious and Faith- Based Organisations R100m Job Creation, Skills and Training Fund

The Motsepe Foundation in partnership with 33 of the largest Religious and Faith-Based Organisations in South Africa today launched the Motsepe Foundation and Religious and Faith-Based Organisations R100m Job Creation, Skills and Training Fund (“Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund”). 

The Motsepe Foundation and the 33 Religious and Faith-Based Organisations whose names are listed on the attached ‘Annexure’; have been working together for many years and established the fund to assist and contribute to creating sustainable jobs and to provide skills and training. This was partly in response to the recent report by Statistics South Africa, which stated that 29% of South Africans are unemployed and 55.2% of the unemployed are youth aged between 15 and 24 years. 

The Founder and Chairman of the Motsepe Foundation Dr. Patrice Motsepe said: “Many South Africans are poor, unemployed and feel marginalised and excluded from the economy. The Motsepe Foundation is honoured to work in partnership with the 33 Religious and Faith-Based Organisations that we have worked with over many years. There is a lot of outstanding talent and creativity within the Religious and Faith-Based Organisations and we are confident that our partnership will create thousands of sustainable jobs, instill hope and contribute to improving the living conditions and standards of living of many poor, unemployed and marginalised South Africans”. 

The Motsepe Foundation will continue donating and partnering with Religious and Faith-Based Organisations on individual and collective projects whose purposes fall outside the objectives of the Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund. 

There are significant opportunities to create thousands of sustainable jobs in agriculture, farming and agri-business as a result of the potential collaboration and partnerships between Religious and Faith-Based Organisations and the partnerships and joint ventures that the Motsepe Foundation is initiating between traditional leaders, kings and their communities and black and white farmers. 

Opportunities to create sustainable jobs will also arise from collaboration and partnerships with private corporations, social entrepreneurs and individuals in other sectors and industries of the South African economy. 

The Motsepe Foundation is also encouraging donors, philanthropists, private corporations and individuals to carry on supporting and donating to Religious and Faith-Based Organisations. 

Each of the 33 Religious and Faith-Based Organisations will appoint two members to serve on the Advisory Council and one member on the Sustainable Job Creation Committee of the Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund. There will also be members who are experts and have experience in sustainable job creation, skills and training projects and partnerships, who will serve on the Sustainable Job Creation Committee. 

The Sustainable Job Creation Committee will assess and evaluate sustainable job creation applications from Religious and Faith-Based Organisations and will recommend deserving applications to the Advisory Council for its consideration and approval, whereafter they will be submitted to the Motsepe Foundation. Donors and funders who contribute more than R50 million to the Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund will also be entitled to appoint two members to serve on the Advisory Council and one to the Sustainable Job Creation Committee. These donors and funders will also receive applications that have been approved by the Advisory Council, for funding. 

The Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund is being structured to operate in a simple, non-technical and flexible manner while adhering to global good practice on governance, auditing and ethics to give donors, philanthropists and other private sector contributors the assurance and comfort they may require. 

It is intended that the Motsepe Foundation and Religious Organisations R100m Job Creation Fund will, soon after its launch, start functioning and also contact potential donors, private corporations, social entrepreneurs and partners to discuss collaboration and partnerships. 

“Motsepe Foundation and Religious and Faith-Based Organisations 2019 National Day of Prayer for all South Africans” 

The Motsepe Foundation and the 33 Religious and Faith-Based Organisations also announced the date of the “Motsepe Foundation and Religious and Faith- Based Organisations 2019 National Day of Prayer for all South Africans” (“2019 National Day of Prayer for All South Africans”) which is: 

Date: 24 November 2019 Time: 08h00 Venue: FNB Stadium, Johannesburg 

The “2017 and 2018 National Days of Prayer for All South Africans” were very successful and were attended by some of the most prominent South African kings and traditional leaders, government and business leaders, representatives from the major political parties in South Africa, as well as representatives from trade union, non-governmental, community-based organisations and more than 200 000 people collectively. They were also live on all the major TV and radio stations in South Africa and in 34 countries on the African Continent. 

The “2019 National Day of Prayer for all South Africans” will, inter alia, pray for: 

– the unity of all South Africans of all races and languages; – the creation of jobs and the provision of quality education, skills and 

training; – an end to violence and crimes committed against women and children 

and the abuse of women and children; – an end to poverty, crime and corruption; – compassion, humaneness and the embracing of persons from the African 

Continent and other parts of the world; – the land reform discussions to result in land being made available for black people living in the rural and urban areas and to their communities and for a successful and secure future for black and white farmers and for all South Africans. 

Everybody is invited to attend the “2019 National Day of Prayer for All South Africans”. 

For enquiries contact: Nebo Legoabe Cell number: +27 76 306 5625 Email address: nebo.legoabe@motsepefoundation.org 

Roshnee Pillay Cell number: +27 82654 1531 Email address: media@motsepefoundation.org 

“ANNEXURE” NAMES OF THE 33 RELIGIOUS AND FAITH-BASED ORGANISATIONS 

Zion Christian Church 2. Catholic Church 3. Anglican Church of Southern Africa 4. The Methodist of Southern Africa (Weseli) 5. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa 6. Dutch Reformed Church 7. The Union of Orthodox Synagogues (UOS) 8. Jamiat Ulama SA 9. Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) Ebuhleni 10. St Johns Apostolic Faith Mission 11. SA Hindu Maha Sabha 12. Old Apostolic Church 13. Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) Ekuphakameni (Inanda) 14. AME (African Methodist Church) 15. Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) Ginyezinye 16. The Greek Orthodox Church 17. St Johns Apostolic Church of Prophecy 18. Bantu Church of Christ 19. Twelve Apostles Christ Church 20. Salvation Army 21. Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) 22. Rhema Ministries 23. Tyrannus Apostolic Church 24. Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) Thembezinhle 25. Nededuitsch Hervormde Church 26. Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (‘UPCSA’) 27. Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) Gauteng 28. Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa 29. Presbyterian Christian Apostolic Church 30. United Apostolic Church 31. Ethiopian Episcopal Church 32. South African Council of Churches (SACC) 33. Evangelical Alliance