The on-line facility, under the banner of Jobs@Gugs, is being offered by Gugulethu Square, a development funded by a consortium comprising the IDEAS Fund, a partnership product between Old Mutual and Unity (a consortium of trade unions), Group Five, Khula Finance and Mzoli Properties. 

Mzoli Ngcawuzele, of Mzoli Properties, says the Jobs@Gugs initiative will build on a commitment made by the developers to draw 25% of the workforce during construction from the Gugulethu community. 

“The ratio of 37% that has been achieved during construction has exceeded that commitment,“ he says. ”Now, with the completion of Gugulethu Square about three months away, the developers want again to ensure that participation by the community is maximised.

“The aim is that qualified local candidates that might ordinarily be overlooked for jobs with retailers get equal access. Jobs@Gugs will be advertised on posters within the community. “
 
Ngcawuzele  says the Jobs@Gugs initiative recognized that when embarking on a project of this magnitude,  retail tenants at Gugulethu Square will be inundated with employment requests.

“We have urged all retail tenants to employ people from the local community. “

He says job seekers can go to the Gugulethu Square website (www.gugulethusquare.co.za) and click on Jobs@Gugs.

They will be requested to log their information (personal experience, qualifications as well as skills) and select the job for which they are applying.

“Each job post will have specific employment requirements pre-programmed such as skill and experience. If an underqualified person applies for that position, then it will reject them immediately and give them an opportunity to try for another position. The candidates that meet the basic requirements will be saved in that position folder for consideration by the retail tenants.”

Ngcawuzele says a temporary internet café has been set up on site at Gugulethu Square for all those wishing to apply for positions and who do not have computers or internet access.

“There is someone to assist those who are computer illiterate and this service is absolutely free to the community. “