The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has noted ongoing media reports on staff salaries and claims that the NYDA "exclusively employs ANC Youth League cadres." The reports further suggest that NYDA staff earned an average salary of R517, 000 each during this financial year, making it the second highest paying government institution. These reports are not only incorrect but are dangerously misleading to the public and particularly young South Africans whose interest the NYDA represents.
The fact is that the NYDA employs 433 people, each earning an average of R322, 000 a year, and not the average of R517, 000 as reported in the media. Furthermore, the NYDA has continued to communicate that due to the nature of its formation, a merger between Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the National Youth Commission, the organisation inherited staff from the two institutions with their salaries already determined. Furthermore the NYDA's mandate not only incorporates the mandates of the two institutions but an expanded mandate which necessitated the organisation to bring on-board more capacity.
Ongoing calls by opposition political parties for the NYDA to close down are nothing more than political grandstanding. Since its inception the NYDA has made great progress in improving the lives of young people, including facilitating youth access to business funding.
Since inception in 2009 the NYDA has disbursed loans worth R60, 439,405 through micro finance, group and SME lending, sourced business opportunities worth R142, 847,244, offered entrepreneurship training to 49,341 young people and created 61,341 job opportunities. Other initiatives include over 66 000 young people who have participated in the National Youth Service Programme, 446 588 young people received career guidance, while 12 179 young people received job preparedness training.
All these achievements were attained despite having minimal financial resources to deliver to young South Africans between the ages of 14 to 35 who constitute 41% of South Africa's 50 million population, thereby making them the majority.
While the NYDA welcomes constructive criticism as it is meant to help us build a better organisation, we appeal for guidance and innovative ideas towards addressing this broad mandate of youth development.
The NYDA has publicly proclaimed that, with its current resources, it will not touch every young person in the country as such it will continue to establish partnerships with government and the private sector to ensure that they play a role in improving the lives of young people, including reducing youth unemployment through practical interventions.
For media enquiries contact:
Siyabonga Magadla
Cell: 083 686 9016
