Buyelwa Sonjica at the 31st Anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising
29 June 2007
At the outset I would like to express my complete appreciation for and
support to this gathering today, which coincidentally marks the culmination of
the 2007 youth month. To me youth activities should be for 365 days. This would
enable us to be able to accelerate their participation in all sectors of
government, and to realise the youth's full potential in contributing
positively to the economy of this country.
I would like to couple empowerment with development; it is because
development is not an event but a process. This process needs to ensure
building a person through the different stages of life.
I am sure that what might have prompted the minds of people to bring about
the issues on today's agenda is the realisation of the missing link with regard
to the complete inclusion of youth issues in our planning and dealings. At the
same time I am excited because my department is amongst those who diagnosed
some of the ills in relation to the youth and their mainstreaming into
government programmes and policies.
Last year when the department commemorated this day, it was during my first
month as Minister here. The event coincided with my welcoming party and was one
the very first events that I attended. The event also saw the birth of Youth in
Energy and Mining (YEM) that I launched on the 23 June 2006. It is therefore
the 1st anniversary of YEM and we are already taking stork of the progress they
made in a year of their existence.
People should not undermine the importance of such organisations in reaching
out to the people of our country and also for advocacy purposes; hence this is
one of the greatest moves in the sector. A year after this I see great progress
because of the partnerships between government and industry. My department is
regulating two sectors and I hope that the youth will spread their focus in
both sectors.
Our experience is that people always follow simple routes. It is my appeal
to the youth to challenge even those difficult careers in mining and energy,
preparing for those high positions in the two sectors. There are experienced
people in both sectors who are not selfish and are ready to impart their
knowledge. Be ready therefore as youth to learn from the best. We are prepared
also as political leaders to offer our experiences as a concrete, positive
contribution to the implementation of government's plan of action with regard
to youth development programmes.
The Department of Mineral and Energy (DME) youth programmes are tailored and
geared to cut down on the dependency syndrome that existed in the past.
Therefore you have the power to shape your own destiny. As people discuss in
their corners I am told that one topic that emerges frequently is whether it is
still necessary for the youth of today to worry about the issues that the youth
of 76' were compelled to worry about. These concerns included legislative
issues like environment, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, political
buy-in and so on. Out of this list, and looking at some of the privileges that
we enjoy today, I would ask all of us in here as to whether we use these
privileges for development or if some of us to the point of destruction. I do
not expect an answer now, but I would like you to answer to yourselves and also
satisfy yourselves that your answers are based on the truth.
As it happens in many instances, government is witnessing with grave concern
the emergence of a phenomenon of non-consultation and lack of discussion or
debate on issues that affect the youth. This phenomenon, if not attended to
with urgency, will lead to unnecessary mistrust and disrespect.
In the past few years government has equipped itself with extremely
innovative legislative instruments to counter every form of discrimination. We
are also dedicating special attention to safeguard the potential victims by
designing wider-ranging assistance and reintegration of programmes meant to
support those who fall prey to any kind of discrimination.
In most departments, including Minerals and Energy, there are special
programmes that are set up to assist the process of mainstreaming vulnerable
groups within the policies and plans of government. As we do that we will need
the assistance from the youth of South Africa to co-operate with us in our
efforts to ensure that they benefit from the opportunities that were created by
the legislative framework of the country in particular those that regulate the
Minerals and Energy sectors.
Following the launch of Youth in Energy and Mining (YEM) a number of
interactive sessions and capacity building programmes were initiated. These led
to the industry also heading to the call of government to assist in
accelerating the participation of youth in all sectors. The participation that
I am talking about includes different levels and streams like economic
participation, management and the actual engineering in both sectors
All the initiatives and programmes that I am talking about are the fruits of
an ongoing dialogue between the government, youth, women and the disabled
persons. We should remember that the youth, women and the disabled always have
to go an extra mile to be considered for some of the benefits that are enjoyed
by so-called mainstream citizens.
It is widely accepted that lack of income is not the only measure of
poverty, but lack of relevant education or access thereto is a key role-player.
I would therefore like to acknowledge with appreciation the contribution of the
two mining houses, namely Xstrata and Anglo Platinum, who took a brave decision
to contribute to the poverty eradication strategy of government by putting
together programmes that that will assist youth to better their lives today and
ultimately their future.
It is essential for government and the people of South Africa to acknowledge
the essential role of the media in the dissemination of information on
programmes that impact positively on the lives of young people. The media can
only do that if we make enough noise about programmes like the ones I am
launching today.
These programmes need to be known by all the youth of South Africa, up to
the deep rural areas of our country. This will remove the issue of exclusion
and also channel more constructive information to the media. It is felt by many
among the youth, however that the mainstream media is underutilised when it
comes to reporting of such positive news. In many cases young people or youth's
leisure time relates directly to important issues affecting them including
education and employment.
Allow me to be generational about this. You will realize that there is a
need for today's youth to focus on the possibilities and positives that are
surrounding them, depending on whether they do realize those. A few of these
would entail an enabling legislative platform, availability of information
through media, latest technology, and so on.
Taking these positives to the day in history when young people decided to
deal with the impediments that were facing them at the time, we can realize
that fora like this one today and the opportunities that come with them, were
not available then. This might sound like a comparative statement, but it is a
reality.
I listened to a young boy speaking at an occasion last week Sunday and I
came to realise how the leadership of tomorrow can be seen today. I was
convinced that a leader is born and not made.
Having said this I would want to appeal to the youth gathered in here today
that while government, industry and society at large are working hard to see
you fully benefiting from the fruits of the hard earned freedom fought for by
the likes of the youth of 1796, morals will remain key to the sustenance of
this freedom. We do not do all that government is doing on the basis of
international laws or treaties. South Africa is way ahead and we are the envy
of many countries on legislation and policies, but more so, on the type of
Constitution that we have.
The issue of morals is bigger than religious practices or political
activities. The tidal wave of history recognizes no geographical boundaries,
social traditions, status or age. This makes it very important for the youth to
make correct calculations of the actions and utterances they make in their
organisations and public forums.
It will never be enough for us to remember our youth only during the month
of June. Let us rather engage with the relevant youth programmes throughout the
year.
We applaud the efforts of companies that should be used profitably by the
youth in support of the National Youth Strategy of government. We need to move
with speed with all youth programmes and also in preparing for those who will
continue to sustain the minerals and energy industries beyond our lives.
I would therefore like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our partners
who made today's event a success, and to encourage all of us to play a role in
building the future of our country through the empowerment and development of
youth.
Let us continue to focus on the positives that are presented to us and make
the dreams of the youth 1976 a sustainable reality. It is up to you the youth
of today to be listed with the generations that brought about progressive
movements and contributed immensely towards the future of our generations to
come.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Minerals and Energy
29 June 2007
