"We are concerned with the level of unemployment and we want to empower the graduates with basic business skills so that they can become job creators rather than job seekers," said district mayor Lawrence Mapoulo at a workshop attended by about 500 unemployed graduates in Polokwane this week.

About 26.5 percent of people in the district are unemployed.

Programme manager at Wits Khutso Ramontja said the programme had already been offered in East London, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg.

“Through this partnership, lectures will take place in Polokwane, where lecturers will be made available to the graduates," said Ramontja.

He said students who are selected for the programme will be expected to pay R800 as a "commitment fee" before they start the programme, while the municipality will pay the actual course fee of R30 000 per student. - BuaNews