Remarks by the Deputy Minister for the Public Service and Administration Ms Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, MP, at the Youth Month Engagement, Mokopane, Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Limpopo Province
Mayor of Mogalakwena Local Municipality
Councillors
Senior Managers present
Our esteemed guests - the Youth of Mogalakwena Local Municipality
We are indeed honoured to be in your community today to engage with the young people of Mogalakwena Local Municipality as part of Youth Month in our country. The purpose of this engagement is to look into possible scenarios of how can we, as government, intervene in programmes that affect yourselves as the youth because you are the future leaders of our country.
Compatriots:
We are gathered here today with one day left to conclude the Youth Month and it is only appropriate that, as a caring government, we came to engage with the youth of Mogalakwena. Part of this engagement is to assure that as the young people, despite all the challenges and difficulties you face, nothing can bring positive results than engaging with your government. You should remember that it was through dialogue that South Africa finally managed to transit into a democratic state. As the theme of the 2017 Youth Months says, “Year of OR Tambo: Advancing Youth Economic Empowerment,” we need to empower you so that you can make a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of this country.
After the attainment of democracy in 1994, the successive ANC-led governments have embarked on both legislative and policy changes to ensure that the youth of our country are empowered through education, training, skills development and entrepreneurship opportunities. Unapologetically so, as the government, we are obliged to ensure that the deaths and struggles of young people like Solomon Mahlangu, Tsietsi Mashinini, Hector Peterson, Peter Mokaba and many others, were not in vain.
Compatriots:
As we engage today, the ANC-led government has established entities such as the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) and locally here in your municipality, we believe there are programmes to assist you as the young people.
These government entities have been created so that yourselves as the youth should utilise to achieve your academic, career and economic opportunities. The onus is upon you to take these opportunities and empower yourselves. South Africa needs educated, skilled leaders and we urge you to utilise the available opportunities to prepare for the future.
In the Public Service, we have introduced Internship and Learnership programmes in order to offer young people the exposure to a working environment and provides basic skills for the job market. We urge you to make applications in order to undergo these programmes so that you make yourselves ready for the world of employment.
Compatriots:
One of the entities under the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration, which is the National School of Government, has introduced the Breaking Barriers to Entry (BB2E) Programme in 2010, which seeks to reduce the barriers that youth experience as they attempt to enter the public service. Over the last three financial years, a total of Six Thousand Five Hundred and Forty Eighty (6 548) unemployed graduates underwent public service orientation through the NSG. The key challenge is that access to employment opportunities is limited, and competition for these posts is high, however, the training has put the learners in good stead to compete adequately if they are invited to interviews. We invite you to explore this opportunity too.
In conclusion:
The youth of Mogalakwena Local Municipality, you have to play an active role in your community by improving people’s lives and making sure the economy works for everyone. We invite you to come forward not only with challenges you face but also, possible solutions which government can explore to empower you as the youth. We are here to demonstrate to you that as Government, We Belong (to you), We Care (about you), We Serve (you).
I thank you.
