Deputy Minister Chupu Stanley Mathabatha welcomed more than five hundred (570), newly recruited unemployed rural youth to the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) Youth Leadership Development Programme (YLDP), which commenced at the 4 Artillery Regiment Military Base in Potchefstroom, North-West yesterday Monday, 28 April 2025.
The deputy minister, encouraged the youth to focus on studies that are relevant to the needs of the economy, “ask yourself, am I going to be useful to the economy, is this skill that I am going to do going to be needed by the economy” he said.
He described the programme as profound. “When you stood up to make your pledge, I said to myself deep in my heart, that this is a revolutionary course you are taking, it changes the course of your life, you are going to see your lives differently based on the pledge you have taken” he added.
Deputy Minister Mathabatha wished the youth well with their training and said this initiative showed that there was hope for young people including the ones from rural areas.
He was accompanied by the Acting Director-General of the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD), Ms Thandi Moyo and senior officials of the department.
The youth who are between the ages of 18 and 35 have been recruited from various district and local municipalities, as well as traditional authorities in the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West and Northern Cape.
This group of youth have been recruited for specific economic opportunities to meet the objective of transitioning recruited youth into income-earning economic activities. This is aligned to the approved NARYSEC policy of March 2022.
The YLDP is presented in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), the South African Military Health Services (SAMHS), the National School of Government (the NSG), the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), the National Geospatial Management Services Branch of the DLRRD and the South-West Gauteng Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College.
The NARYSEC Youth Leadership Development Programme, which got underway on the 28th of April 2025, will be conducted over a 9-week period. This phase of the NARYSEC Programme is compulsory and introduces youth to relevant government policies, programmes, legislation, career planning and leadership skills.
Enquiries:
Linda Page
Chief Director
Tel: 012 312 8264
E-mail: Linda.Page@dalrrd.gov.za
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