'Employers are people on the move': Man takes to the highway to find job

A man desperate to woo potential employers has put up a flowing banner on the Bridal Veil bridge on the N1 highway in Waterfall, Midrand, to ask for a job.

Mokete Mampshika, 32, whose employment contract lapses at the end of this month, said he could not afford to be unemployed.

“My wife and son rely on me. I don’t know what I would do if come next year I’m not able to pay for his school, our rent and our expenses," he said.

"At the moment my wife’s company is going through a restructuring, so she too might be unemployed soon.

“I’m looking for anything permanent. It would be great if it can be in a company that allows its staff to be innovative, grow and expand their skill set.”

The banner has Mampshika's picture and contact details, along with a message: “Public announcement. Please help me find a job. IT project admin/ jnr PM [junior project manager]."

“I had to do something to stand out," explained Mampshika. "The situation in our country is challenging. We go and put our CVs online, but it seems like no one picks them up. It’s a hopeless method. So we have to go out there.

"When I got my first job, I handed out my CV at the robots. I know for a fact that employers are people on the move - that’s where we meet them.”

Apart from getting a job, Mampshika hopes to start an organisation to support other job hunters.

“If I struggle this much in the city, what about someone in the rural areas?" he added.

"This is a touchy topic for me, because I always have to go out there physically. The issue of unemployment in the country is a crisis - even though there are many factors, like politics and employability. We need to do more to help young people.”