Press Releases - 13 July 2010
Helping South Africa (and Pretoria) get to work
Media Release
July 13, 2010
Helping
South Africa (and Pretoria) get to work
NGO that creates employment re-opens its doors in Pretoria
Men on the Side of the Road (MSR) has re-opened its
doors in Pretoria thanks to funding received from the City of Tshwane.
MSR is a marketplace for casual workers where men
gather at organised collection points in
seven cities across South Africa.
Customers
from home and business owners to construction companies can collect a worker
for part-time or contract work, knowing that the men they hire are able,
trustworthy and skilled in particular areas.
MSR Regional Manager Peter Skelton, said: “Due to lack
of funding we had to close our doors in Pretoria for 10 months, but thanks to
the funding we received we are able to start up again. Unemployment is a huge
problem across South Africa and this is why we could not let our Pretoria
office shut down indefinitely.”
Organised pick up points will now be located in three
areas in Pretoria, they are:
·
Waterglen, Roslyn Road opposite
Chamberlains
·
Silverton, corner of Dykor and
Moreleta streets
·
Centurion, corner of Lenchen
and Jean Avenue.
With unemployment at critical levels, the MSR aims to
facilitate the placement of skilled and semi skilled workers in part-time or
full-time work. For as little as R120 per day potential employers can hire a
reliable and trustworthy worker.
“Our goal is
to help our members find and maintain long-term, sustainable employment. Our
network enables us to place them in appropriate employment positions, while
helping contractors employ the right worker,” said Skelton.
Previously
MSR Pretoria logged an average of 1500 working days/month for their workers.
“This time we are hoping to double that figure with more collection points
being set up,” said Skelton.
Call 0861 WORKER (0861 967537), email info@employmen.co.za or visit www.employMen.co.za for more info.
Ends
Issued by:
HWB Communications (Pty) Ltd
Contact: Martin
Slabbert
Telephone: (021)
462 0416
Fax: (021)
462 0427
Mobile : 079
500 1503
Email: martin@hwb.co.za
On behalf of: Men on the Side of the Road (MSR)
Editors Notes:
·
Pictures of the three Pretoria
sites are available on request.
·
MSR is a marketplace for
thousands of casual workers.
·
MSR has organised collection points in seven cities around South Africa.
·
Customers can collect a worker for part-time, contract or full-time
work, knowing that the people the hire are able, trustworthy and skilled in
particular areas.
·
Details of all MSR members are loaded onto a database, which carries a
record of their identity number and photograph, skills training, references and
recommendations, ensuring customers will be matched with the best worker for a
particular job, be it building, rubble removal, gardening, cleaning or window
washing, to name a few.
· MSR started out of a human rights initiative back in 2001 when men were being arrested for “loitering” (which implies without intent), while in fact they were gathering to find work at various collection points around the city. The Cape High Court ruled that these men had a right to seek work. A local businessman, Charles Maisel, took a particular interest in the case and the plight of these men to survive and founded MSR. Since then, Peter Kratz, who heard about the project on returning to South Africa after living abroad for six years, has become involved and is dedicates much of his time to developing the organization.
· MSR is now a nationwide force representing thousands of work seekers of both genders all the main cities in the country.
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