The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, will launch a Provincial Youth Forum in KwaLanga, Western Cape on 5 April 2014 to actively deal with the social challenges faced by the youth in the region.
The launch of the Forum is in fulfilment of a commitment made by the Minister during her visit to the area in February this year, that the Department of Social Development would help the local youth form an organisation to tackle social challenges such as teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, lack of skills development, gangsterism and gender-based violence, among others.
Youth Development Forums are structures that engage youth development issues and act as vehicles that make it possible for youth and provincial and local authorities to deliberate on issues of shared concern, collectively prepare plans for youth development and jointly implement these.
In the past, the Department of Social Development has experienced challenges in getting the youth of the Western Cape to participate in developmental programmes. The launch of the Youth Forum is therefore seen as a step in the right direction to encourage their participation in community development.
The Forum aims to promote active citizenry among the youth of the Western Cape by empowering them to exercise their rights and take responsibility for their own development. It is expected that the Provincial Forum will work with local authorities to identify, implement and monitor the progress of social, economic and institutional solutions to local development challenges.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the launch, which will take place as follows:
Date: Saturday, 5 April 2014
Time: 10h00
Venue: Johnson Ngwevela Hall, Kwa-Langa (Western Cape)
Please direct media RSVPs to Mr Jaconia Kobue on 073 026 111 or JaconiaK@dsd.gov.za.
Media enquiries:
Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
Email: Lumkao@dsd.gov.za
