The draft National Youth Policy 2015 – 2020 (NYP 2020) was gazetted for public consultation and comment on 12 January 2015. At the official launch of the consultation process Deputy Minister Buti Manamela invited young people to own the policy formulation process and engage with it robustly.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"407554","attributes":{"alt":"NYDA","class":"media-image","id":"1","style":"border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;;;;;","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]
During the extensive and vigorous consultation process young people were provided abundant opportunities through meetings, panel discussions, social media platforms and various other means to make submissions into the national youth policy. Young people took the opportunity and came out in numbers from all over the country and expressed their needs, interests and aspirations.
Deputy Minister Manamela engaged with the youth from NGOs, political parties, faith based organisations, young people at train stations, churches, shebeens, institutions of learning and everywhere where young could be found.
In the course of the consultation process, Deputy Minister Manamela continued to assert his commitment in ensuring that the final policy reflected the views of young people even if it means the final document is completely different to what is in the draft policy. More than 100 written submissions have been received and considered.
It is in this context that the National Consultative Conference will be convened on 29 & 30 March where young people from around the country and nationally organised youth structures will convene to confirm the revised policy and to gather the last set of inputs. The two day conference also aims to afford space for extensive debate on each priority of the NYP.
“We are enthusiastic about the feedback we have thus far received from young people about a policy that is at the heart of their development.” said Deputy Minister Buti Manamela
The outcomes of the conference will then be infused into the policy which will then be taken to Cabinet before the policy is signed by the Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe.
Enquiries:
Matshepo Seedat
Cell: 082 679 9473
