The Jobs Emergency | Community Demands Promised Jobs

In the south of Durban, local communities are standing up to hold a local refinery accountable for its promise of providing jobs to the area. The community argues that the refinery, known as Engine Refinery, has access to a pool of skilled and semi-skilled workers who live nearby. Frustration has been mounting, and the community has gathered outside the refinery to deliver a memorandum of demands.

Unemployment Woes

Unemployment has plagued this community, and they believe that Engine Refinery should have fulfilled its promise to employ people from the surrounding areas. The community borders the Bluff and Wentworth, and the residents have grown tired of waiting. Jobs are desperately needed, as many households are struggling to make ends meet. People are going hungry, and families are trying to survive on meager incomes.

One resident expresses the frustration, saying, "In our neighborhood, we have a massive company like Engine Refinery, but they are doing nothing to help our community. We have highly skilled workers, such as those with national diplomas in electrical engineering, who are struggling to find work. The refinery has been in existence for over 70 years, yet they have done nothing for our community or the surrounding areas."

The Connection to Crime

The community has also experienced a surge in crime, including violence and killings. Locals believe that if Engine Refinery and other companies in the area were providing employment opportunities to the youth, the situation would improve. They argue that offering job opportunities to young people would help redirect their energies and provide them with a sense of purpose.

A resident passionately states, "We simply want jobs. We want a better future for ourselves and for our children. Unemployment is breeding frustration and hopelessness, leading to an increase in criminal activities. We are not asking for handouts; we are demanding that these companies take responsibility for the community they operate in. They are contributing to the deterioration of our neighborhood with their emissions, and yet they refuse to acknowledge their role in it."

Continuing the Fight

The community is determined to hold Engine Refinery accountable and demand action. They insist that the refinery, and other companies in the area, create working opportunities for the locals. The emphasis is especially on providing opportunities for the young people in the community.

Residents understand the importance of education and employability for the younger generation. They stress the need for a working school that can provide children with the necessary skills and education to succeed in the future.

Despite the challenges they face, the community remains resilient. They know that they are not asking for too much but rather asking for what is rightfully theirs. They want Engine Refinery and other companies to take care of the neighborhood they operate in and take responsibility for the harm their emissions may be causing.

Engine Refinery has accepted the memorandum from the residents, and leaders claim that the company has promised further engagement with community representatives. The next meeting between the refinery and the community is scheduled for April 21 in Durban.

The fight for jobs and a better future continues, and the community is determined to see tangible change. They refuse to back down until they see real progress in securing employment opportunities for themselves and their children. The refinery and other companies must now make good on their promises and fulfill their duty to the community they operate in.