All state owned farms across the North West province are to be allocated to community and youth cooperatives, Premier Supra Mahumapelo announced in his State of the Province Address delivered at the Mmabatho Convention Centre on Friday.
Premier Mahumapelo said that the allocation will be part of the provincial government’s strategy to revive agriculture as a priority sector for economic development and addressing youth unemployment.
“Government will provide seeds and implements, and ensure that state hospitals procure all their required supplies from these cooperatives,” Mahumapelo stressed.
The Premier highlighted that the rollout of the allocation is planned for roll-out over three years.
Other programmes to benefit youth announced by the Premier include the introduction of the Ikatisong Youth Training & Incubation Programme to reinforce the Expanded Public Works Programme.
“This approach will ensure that the youth programmes are not only sustainable but also expose the young people to enterprise based skills which will allow them to migrate into gainful employment or self-employment beyond government programmes,” Mahumapelo said.
Youth mobilisation programmes will also benefit 7 600 youth who will also be linked to Community Development Work opportunities and skill development programmes.
The Premier also announced that IBM (ICT Company) will be piloting a programme in partnership with both Provincial Government and the North West University (Mafikeng Campus) to roll-out e-skilling to the young people in the Province.
The project will start in Mafikeng before being rolled out to other parts of the province.
A Provincial Youth Skills Development Centre is to be launched by the end of the year in the Dr.Kenneth Kaunda District to absorb a 1 000 young people to be trained in various trades. Upon completion of training, trainees will be linked to job opportunities in the market.
Enquiries:
Sam Mokaila
Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 559 7384
Tel: 018 388 1324
Fax: 018 388 3008
Email: smttumelo4@gmail.com
