In response to COVID-19’s impact on jobs and livelihoods, the Presidential Employment Stimulus was launched towards the end
of 2020. Intended to be an augmentation of existing government commitments to employment creation, the objective of the
Presidential Employment Stimulus is to support livelihoods while the labour market recovers: investing in public goods and services,
enhancing skills and employability, and boosting demand in the economy at the same time. One of the initiatives of the Presidential Employment Stimulus is the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI). The BEEI is South Africa’s largest ever public employment programme.
Youth Capital partnered with ORT SA CAPE and Youth@work, to carry out research to understand the impact of the BEEI. This report highlights important considerations with regard to the design and delivery of public employment programmes like the BEEI. These considerations should be taken into account with respect to the implementation of such programmes, including the potential second phase of the BEEI.