the launch of Learnership 1000, His People Centre, Goodwood
14 June 2006
Today is a happy day that arises out of the tragic events of 30 years ago,
when the youth engaged in some of the most heroic struggles to free themselves
and our nation from the yoke of oppression. In this process many generations of
young people made enormous sacrifices for a better future. While the uprising
started 30 years ago in Soweto, no corner of South Africa was unaffected. This
Province and this City played an enormous role in 1976, but also in 1980 and
every other year after that.
The contribution of the Western Cape must never be underscored because there
are those today who divide our people into African, Coloured and White, and do
so by trying to portray the events of 30 years ago as "a Soweto Uprising". They
imply that it was a "black African" uprising. History and our own memory tell
us that Africans and Coloureds fought apartheid side by side and they were
joined by white young people in Nusas and the End Conscription Campaign.
History and our own memory tell us that the first victim to be killed in 1976
in this province was Xolile Moise from Langa, and that a week later the second
victim to be killed was Christopher Truter from Bonteheuwel.
This was a history of bravery and unity that was to be repeated in every
episode of the battle against apartheid. When I delivered the State of the
Province Address in February 2006, the Provincial Government reflected on the
events 30 years ago and the sacrifices of the youth that we commemorate this
year. We asked the question: how can we remember the youth today, so that we
realise the principles, values and vision for which the youth sacrificed 30
years ago? What do we do beyond the memorial service, the rally, the
reflection?
We realised that the youth of the '70's, the '80's and the early 1990's were
not the lost generations because they knew they were firmly on their way to
freedom and democracy. The lost youth may well be those young people who, in
freedom and democracy, find themselves locked in poverty and unemployment,
young people without skills and education, young people who in desperation and
hopelessness succumb to the temptations of gangsterism, crime, drugs and
sexually transmitted diseases.
It was in this context that the Provincial Government of the Western Cape
decided that the best tribute to pay to Hector Petersen, Xolile Moise,
Christopher Truter, and every other young person who died, so that we might be
free, is to say Siyabulela, Ons Dank Julle. We thank you in the most concrete
and practical way possible.
Every member of this government was tasked to respond to some of the most
pressing problems confronting the youth by getting their departments to deliver
in the spirit of Siyabulela. My speech that day said: âMinister Fransman will
recruit, train and employ 1000 unemployed youth for trade and entrepreneurial
learnerships, and will ring fence projects and contracts for the most
successful amongst themâ.
Today I can see: Marius Fransman has delivered. I can see hundreds of you
gathered here for 800 trade specific learnerships, as part of the Western
Cape's contribution to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). It is worth
informing the new Minister of Public Works, Minister Thoko Didiza, that this
Province has in the last few years created 40 000 EPWP jobs, and through
initiatives like this we intend not only to increase the number, but improve
the quality of skills as well.
This task is urgent because the unemployment crisis is acute amongst the
unskilled and semi-skilled young unemployed. Our most optimistic projections
show that the unemployment statistic for this category will not fall
significantly under 30% in the medium term.
Can the youth in the unskilled and semi-skilled category, therefore, be
consigned to fend for themselves in a context of poverty, crime, drugs and
disease, obviously not? Our Siyabulela Deliverable today is a desperate, yet
calculated attempt, to give a future to such youth in sectors of our economy in
the Province that shows growth potential.
The Western Cape for the last two years has grown in Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) by 5.3%. This is phenomenal. One of the key drivers of this growth has
been the growth in construction. Two years ago construction was growing by
about five percent. Last year it grew by 8.3%. This change means that year on
year in construction the industry grew from employing 127 000 workers to
employing 154 000 workers. This is an additional 27 000 people now employed and
able to buy a house, put food on the table and enjoy the prosperity of the
Province and the country.
The downside to this story however, is that the average age of artisans is
58 years. The people with skills in construction are getting old, and the young
are not seeing construction as a career. It is to this challenge that we are
beginning to respond today. Today 800 of our 1000 learners are going to learn
trade specific skills in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, professional driving,
and other skills within the growing sectors of the provincial economy such as
construction. It is for this reason that I have been uncompromising with the
Mayor of Cape Town: Do not interfere negatively in the Green Point Stadium for
World Cup 2010. We need to construct that stadium, the 6 new hotels that will
be built for 2010, the transport infrastructure, etc. We want construction by
2010 to grow by over 10% in the Western Cape.
As you sit here today you carry the hope of the 30 000 other young people
who applied for these learnerships. You cannot fail. If you succeed, and if
government succeeds in its plan to push up the growth rate to over 6.1% in
terms of Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA),
then you open the door for all the other young people who are not only
unemployed, but unemployable because they do not have skills. If you succeed
you will say to Xolile Moise and Christopher Truter that they have not died in
vain. If you succeed then you say to young people: Have faith, avoid drugs and
crime because we are working with the government to create a better life.
All of you here represent the Western Cape. This is the âhome for allâ we
dream about. As you sit here you are from all race groups, you speak our three
languages, you come from urban and rural areas, you are young men and young
women, and you worship in different ways. But you are all united in one vision,
a Western Cape that is a âhome for allâ, a Western Cape that is iKapa
elihlumayo - a Cape that we grow and a Cape that we share.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government
14 June 2006
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)
