Programme Director,
Our distinguished panel of guests,
Leaders of various political formations and civil society organizations
Captains of Industry,
To the general public,
A very good morning to all!
Let me start by saying that in so far as these are challenging times for Young South Africans and youth globally, these are also very exciting and inspiring times. I say this because of the renewed optimism and transformative thinking currently occupying the minds of many young people both locally and globally. Young South Africans in particular are dispelling notions of entitlement and dependency by claiming their responsibilities and opportunities as active partners in their own development.
Let me tell you the story of Mr. Thulani Madondo who runs the Kliptown Youth Programme and was the only Young South African to be nominated for the CNN Heroes Award in 2012. Thulani came from humble beginnings. He did not let his deprivation hold him back from service and greatness.
Together with other young people from Kliptown in Soweto, Thulani runs a programme that offers tutoring, sports and cultural activities for the youth of his community. For most of the children and youth in Kliptown, this may be the only opportunity they get to participate in developmental after-school activities.
Allow me to also share with you the story of Mr. Monwabisi Mtsizi who is 29 years of age and currently part of the National Youth Development Agency’s (NYDA) YouthBuild Programme in the Western Cape in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements. I asked him why he had joined the YouthBuild Programme and he replied by saying, “I want to set a positive example to the children of Langa where I grew up. Instead of the kids seeing me sitting around on the street corners gambling and drinking, they can look up to me as a role model, as someone who gives back to his community. I want to learn valuable skills from this programme.”
He said that even though he is unemployed and doesn’t have much, this is the legacy he wants to leave behind. These are young South Africans who are proud to serve. They are not inspired by flashy cars, expensive jewellery and clothes but rather by service, passion, education and advocacy.
As young South Africans we should have the courage to think differently, act positively and challenge the status quo. The challenges of youth unemployment, poverty alleviation and social integration can only be addressed if we change our attitudes, if we displace the prevailing culture of entitlement and dependency with a culture of youth service and responsibility and if we take ownership of our country and future.
The National Youth Development Agency was established in 2009 through an Act of Parliament and the under the guidance of the President, His Excellency Jacob Zuma. Since then the NYDA has worked with various partners in both public and private sectors to drive youth development in the country.
During the youth month that has just passed, we successfully partnered with the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence or SANCA to train 700 peer counsellors in 35 schools across the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces. These young people are assisting their peers who are affected by drug abuse to receive counselling and support at the nearest SANCA branch.
The “You Decide” Campaign created by the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and South African Breweries (SAB) is another example of a successful partnership for youth development. This joint initiative that educates youth on the dangers of underage drinking has reached 384 260 teenagers in 652 schools across the country.
In the area of youth entrepreneurship development, the NYDA and Intel South Africa collaborated during Youth Month to equip young aspiring and established entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge and motivation to enable business development and growth for young entrepreneurs.
The much anticipated Grant Programme of the NYDA to be initiated in the month of August together with the future partnership between the NYDA, SEFA and the IDC will further strengthen efforts at youth entrepreneurship in the country. Again we must emphasize that NOT all young people should look to the NYDA for opportunities. Opportunities will forever remain limited as long as resources remain limited.
We hope that more partners will come on board as we attempt to reach the millions of young people who need support. The NYDA simply does not have the capacity to provide opportunities for the 7.5 million young South Africans who are not employed and not in any learning institution. This requires a collective effort to create as many opportunities for as many youth as we possibly can.
The 1st April 2013 ushered in a new era for the NYDA with a new leadership and a new vision to restore credibility and improve the Agency’s capabilities in coordinating, mainstreaming and facilitating youth development in the country.
This is why the NYDA exists in the first place, to coordinate youth development matters across the country, to mainstream youth issues into society and to facilitate youth development with all sectors of society. In some instances programmes may be initiated if there is an opportunity to do more. The NYDA does not exist to lead youth development in the country.
This is the role of young people themselves. As young South Africans lead the struggle for a better country and a better life the NYDA working together other state entities and the private sector will attempt to support and contribute to an enabling environment. The new leadership of the NYDA has acknowledged that we need to change the present and build the future for youth development in the country.
This can only be done working together with all sectors of society and young South Africans playing a leadership role in their own development. Change cannot and will not happen overnight.
That being said, much has been achieved in the last three months and certain media reports that the new leadership of the NYDA has not kept to its promises are quite far from the truth. Considerable progress has been made to reposition the NYDA with a focus on Education and Skills Development resulting in a new strategy being formulated.
The new strategy focuses on five key areas of youth development with Education and Skills Development being at the core, complimented by efforts at Economic Participation, Health and Well-Being, Policy and Research as well as Governance and Administration.
Across each of these areas are a number of flagship programmes to be rolled out during the course of the year. These flagship programmes will serve as tangible deliverables emanating from the new strategy and will be comprised of current and existing programmes.
The new plan for youth development in the country focuses on education, skills, jobs and business. It involves improving the levels of education and the quality of that education to make young people more employable; improving the skills levels of young South Africans; facilitating more opportunities and support for young entrepreneurs and cooperatives and a call for more job opportunities to be created for young people to be employed.
The new plan offers an opportunity for all social partners to join us and work together for improving the lives of young South Africans. We welcome all parties to be part of this change for meaningful and sustainable youth development.
I thank you!
