P Mlambo-Ngcuka: Launch of National Youth Service Volunteer
Campaign

4 December 2006

Let me thank the National Youth Commission (NYC) and the National Youth
Service unit for organising this media launch of the National Youth Service
Volunteer campaign.

About the National Youth Service

The NYS programme is a youth development of government initiative championed
by the Presidency. This initiative is aimed at engaging young people in
activities that develop and benefit their communities, whilst acquiring skills
that can enable them to access economic opportunities for sustainable
livelihoods.

Various Cabinet meetings have examined the question of deepening youth
development programmes and inextricably integrating them into the set targets
of the national development programme.

As government we agreed that the NYS programme has a direct strategic fit
with the second economy interventions of the Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA). Hence, the Cabinet Statement of 23
November 2005 reads, "The (Cabinet) meeting examined the question of short and
medium term youth development programmes in the context of the AsgiSA. These
include such opportunities as provided by the Human Resource Development (HRD)
initiatives, Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), development of small
medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and
mineral beneficiation and 2010 Soccer World Cup projects."

Launch of the NYS

The Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, officially launched the NYS
programme in Phillipi, Cape Town, in August 2004. After that launch a lot of
work has happened throughout the country as part of the rollout of the
programme. Informed by the success of the initiative, the youth sector, working
with government has agreed that the NYS programme rollout must be
massified.

About the NYS Volunteer campaign

In an effort to up scale the rollout of this programme, government mandated
the NYC to spearhead the mobilisation of at least 9 000 young South Africans
across the country to register into the NYS Volunteer campaign during the
months of December 2006 to January 2007.

The underlying concept for this campaign is to mobilise these young people
to provide voluntary services to their communities. Through their engagement in
this NYS initiative, these young people will be given an opportunity to
demonstrate their resourcefulness in the development of their communities. This
initiative will also go a long way in inspiring local people to do things for
themselves, i.e. providing local solutions to local problems Vuk'uzenzele.

We, therefore, saw it appropriate to declare "proud to serve" as the main
theme under which the activities of this campaign will be implemented.

As we are gathered here today, we do so to mark the national launch of this
important campaign. It is further important to highlight that we are launching
this campaign just on the eve of the International Volunteers Day which will be
celebrated all over the world tomorrow, 5 December 2006.

The main purpose of this campaign is to fulfil the following objectives:

* to inculcate a selfless culture of voluntary service amongst young
people
* to mobilise at least 9 000 young people to provide essential services to
develop and benefit their communities
* to create awareness and profile the NYS
* to mobilise stakeholders for the massive implementation of the NYS, thereby
assisting departments to meet their delivery targets
* foster social cohesion and reintegration of young people into their
communities
* leverage the energy of young people in meeting the needs of their
communities
* promote young people as resources and not problems in their communities.

In undertaking this work the NYC is working with Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF),
the NYS unit, provincial youth commissions and government departments to
identify and implement projects in various communities. All these institutions
have committed to undertake and support various volunteer activities which fall
within their scope of work.

All the various sectors of youth organisations that are organised under the
South African Youth Council should be mobilised to actively engage their
membership in the activities of this campaign in their respective areas of
operation.

A synopsis of programmatic activities

As we launch this campaign today, various departments and provinces are
ready to hit the ground with the implementation of volunteer activities in
communities. These volunteer activities will include:

* the Department of Transport will engage 1 000 young people as road safety
ambassadors as part of Arrive Alive efforts during this festive season
* the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) will engage about
1 350 young people in marine and coastal management related services along the
coastline areas, including community clean-up activities
* the Department of Agriculture will engage 1 000 young people and avail "food
starter packs" in establishing community food gardens as part of the
department's Letsema campaign
* the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) will also engage young people in
activities that educate and create awareness about our national symbols
* the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) in partnership with
Tshwane Metro, will engage 1 000 young volunteers to provide various essential
services in Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs)
* Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) will engage young people in various
sporting codes' activities through their Siyadlala Mass Participation
programme
* the Department of Health will engage volunteers in HIV and AIDS awareness and
health promotion activities.

We thank all the departments that undertook to support this important
initiative and also call upon all other departments to follow this good example
and integrate the activities of this campaign into programmes of their line
functions.

At the same note we are proud to announce that as we launch this campaign
today, the provinces are ready to commence with the implementation of the
campaign activities that I just alluded to.

With this launch we are not merely announcing an idea but unveiling projects
that are supported by practical activities that will be witnessed by many South
Africans throughout the duration of this campaign and beyond.

For example:

* only yesterday the Western Cape Youth Commission engaged about 1 000 young
people in anti-crime activities as part of this campaign
* the Eastern Cape Youth Commission is ready to engage 6 000 young people in
various voluntary service activities in six municipal areas of that
province
* the Free State Youth Commission in partnership with Meetsemaholo Local
Municipality are ready to involve 1 000 young people in the voluntary service
activities
* on Saturday, 9 December 2006, the Gauteng Youth Commission will be utilising
its economic youth faire as a platform to launch the NYS Volunteer Campaign
provincially.

Call to action

As clearly demonstrated through the co-ordination of this campaign, its
success depends on the full commitment of all partners involved.

We therefore call upon:

* All government departments to undertake and support the activities of this
campaign by creating alignment and synergies with their existing
programmes.
* Provincial and local government spheres to spare no effort in making the
activities of this campaign a great success in their respective areas.
* The private sector to join hands in unleashing their corporate social
investments to support this campaign. We also encourage private companies and
State Owned Enterprises (SOE) to align their planned charity work to the
activities of this campaign.
* Young people themselves through their organisations and individually are to
heed this call and participate in large numbers in the activities of this
campaign for the benefit of their own communities. Young people should not only
participate in the designed activities of this campaign but they should also
lead self-initiated activities.

Conclusion

Through the success of this campaign we shall be declaring our state of
readiness to participate in the activities of the 8th Annual Global Youth
Service Days from 21 to 23 April 2007.

As the Presidency and as government as a whole we are very proud to be
associated with the NYS and we are ready to provide all the necessary
leadership and support in realising the noble intent of this campaign.

As Frantz Fanon once asserted, "Each generation has its own mission in life,
it is up to that generation to fulfil or to betray that mission." As we
commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Soweto and connected uprisings we are
proud to say the generation of 1976 defined its mission as that of tirelessly
struggling to bring about liberation in South Africa. Without any cast of doubt
they chose to fulfil this mission.

The onus is with the current generation of young people to be given a
platform to write their own legacy through voluntary service.

And the implementation of this campaign during this busy time of the year
provides the broader youth sector with an opportunity to disprove the labelling
of our youth as apathetic.

The Department of Provincial and Local Government and the Government
Communication Information System have committed to avail their infrastructure
in municipalities and MPCCs for registration of the participants. The NYC youth
line will also be open during the festive season to provide all the necessary
information on the campaign and other points where registration forms are
available. Young people may call the youth line on 0800 000 001 for further
details.

Thank you!

Issued by: The Presidency
4 December 2006
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)