As the public service strike grips the country, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is appealing to all South Africans, particularly young people, to heed the call and volunteer. The past weekend saw thousands of South Africans showing ubuntu by rolling up their sleeves to assist short-staffed hospitals.
Volunteers' activities which included cleaning hospitals, changing linen and feeding patients played a key role in averting a potential crisis. “It is precisely in times of need that you see citizens’ love and passion for their country; South Africans never disappoint,” says Andile Lungisa, the NYDA Executive Chairperson.
Another hard-hit area which concerns the NYDA is education. “We would like to encourage pupils that they should rather seek alternative ways of learning such as forming study groups and doing self study rather than roaming the streets. We are also hoping that retired teachers and unemployed teachers can come on board and assist pupils to do revision in the run up to the matric preliminary exams,” says Lungisa.
The NYDA is hopeful that government and workers will soon reach a compromise. “We are losing precious time and would hate to see the matric pass rate plummet. “Let’s all work towards achieving an outcome that will build this country,” concludes Lungisa.
