Programme director
Members of the Executive Council
Executive Mayors and Mayors
The Leadership of the Youth Commission
The Leadership of the African National Congress Youth League
The leadership of other Youth formations
The leadership of the student movement
Traditional leaders present here
Members of the media Houses
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Thobela!
We have gathered here to commemorate June 16, the day in which young people of our country demonstrated their outmost ability to fight for the freedom and the liberation of the people of South Africa. It is always a pleasure to join the celebrations which are assembled in honour of the June 1976 youth generation and all subsequent generations of young people that made an immense contribution to the total collapse of apartheid and all its brutal systems.
The 1976 youth generation fought the apartheid system with everything and anything they had, facing the barrel of a gun with one determination, to have equal rights for all the people of South Africa irrespective of colour or creed. They laid down their lives for a better South Africa and the freedom we are enjoying today, and we must all forever remain grateful for the immense contribution by that generation.
This year we are commemorating 34 years since the 1976 youth upraising with many international visitors in our midst for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, an event which would not have been possible to stage without the bravery and the sacrifices of the young generation. It is on this note that we are urging all young people to be active participants in the efforts to make this World Cup a success.
Today, our national soccer team, Bafana Bafana is playing its second game of the tournament and we must go all out to support them and blow the vuvuzelas to the loudest level possible in motivating and supporting our boys. We owe the 1976 youth a win in tonight’s game and progression to the second stage of the tournament.
Programme director,
This year we are paying tribute to the 1976 young generation under the theme: “Working together for youth development through action.” Since the dawn of democracy, we have travelled a visible distance in our journey of uniting South Africans. Yes, we are still miles away from the ideal destination of a non racial and non sexist society, but arrival at the said destination is imminent. There are many symptoms of success in this regard and we should build-up momentum on them.
We should consolidate on the things that unite us and devote our energy to find each other on those that put separate us from one another. And it is important that young people should take the lead in this regard. The youth must participate in the structures that are aimed at providing more platforms for young people to engage on various issues affecting the society by offering viable options.
Our province needs young people who can participate in the public discourse without any fear. The level of intellectual debates must be dictated by young people who must engage from a position of authority with all the necessary information. So, it is only through education that young people can have the confidence and above all, the means to make a valuable contribution in building the future of the province and the country at large.
As the African National Congress (ANC) led government, we are working very hard to ensure that all doors of learning are opened for all, for we value and understand the significance of education in the developmental agenda of the country. Every young person in the school going age must attend school to the full potential of his ability. We are continuing to create a conducive environment with real opportunities for young people to embark on the process of knowledge accumulation, which will be useful in our growth path.
We have declared education an immediate weapon available in the fight against poverty to a point that we declared this year the “The year of intensive learning and teaching” in Limpopo. Education is also a gateway to possible employment opportunities. As young people, you must fight for your education and ensure that your educational endeavours are characterised by success. Education is the cornerstone to a prosperous future of every generation.
You should not acquire education only to desert your province and the country in the name of searching a better life somewhere. But rather, you must be patriotic to the country and assist in the determination of building a prosperous nation. You must offer back to your respective communities, without expecting to receive anything in return. The first wisdom is to know that you are a South African and you belong to a community, which rightly expect a lot from you as a young person.
Programme director,
At this stage of our democracy, we need young cadres with requisite skills for the expansion of the economy. We have launched our economic strategy document in the province with the sole intention of creating job opportunities for the people. It is reported by the Statistics South Africa that most of the young people are without employment. This means young people account for the highest number of the unemployed people in our province, a picture which is the same in other provinces.
The Limpopo Employment Growth and Development Plan is our economic blueprint that will lead the provincial growth path, in a manner which is sustainable and beneficial to the people. We have resolved on the creation of a growth that is able to create job opportunities for the people; and young people will be the principal beneficiaries of this new approach. Our current economic activities and prospective economic ventures must be inclusive of young people.
We are also urging the youth to be creative by amongst others, forming cooperatives for the purpose of seizing economic opportunities, which are initiated by our government. We want youth and women cooperatives to be the actual beneficiaries of the government procurement plans. We have an obligation to drastically reduce the number of the unemployed youth in the province.
There will be various district seminars in the province to discuss the Limpopo Employment, Growth and Development Plan and the role of young people in the development of our economy. Some of these seminars have already taken place and their contribution thereof will be considered.
Programme director,
In the past decade, we have lost many young people to HIV-AIDS related illnesses. Notwithstanding, many efforts employed to curb the spread of the virus, not much success is being reported. Although, we are beginning to witness the slow infection rate, in particular among young people, a lot still need to be done, because the very same age category is the worst affected by the scourge of HIV.
We are advising and requesting young people to come to the fore and test for HIV and other forms of diseases. As government, we have made the testing process much friendlier and you should not miss this opportunity.
It is important for young people to live a healthy lifestyle and refrain from succumbing to any temptations that would compromise their bright future. Young people must not be victims of teenage pregnancy. You must ensure that you enjoy the stages of life responsibly bearing in mind that every stage has its own difficulties. Teenage pregnancy is one of the difficulties that can be simply avoided.
Limpopo province has made and continues to make great contribution to the sporting fraternity in the country. It is not possible to speak about sport personalities in the country and omit to mention the contribution which is made by our province, Limpopo.
Allow us to indicate our appreciation in the manner that as young people, you demonstrated your undivided support to our own daughter Ms Mokgadi Semenya at the time when some of the media houses were refusing to accept the good athlete in her. You must continue to stand by each other and you will conquer all evil intentions, in the same way that the 1976 youth did.
So, as young people you must participate in sport and continue to hold high the flag of the province. Our call also goes the society in general particularly the parents and guardians. We must strengthen relationships within our families to create a safe and caring environment where young people are able to have more positive and healthy lifestyles. As parents we must instil discipline and family values in our children. And to do that we must lead by example and be good role models to our children. By doing this we will all be guaranteed of a good future for all our children.
Programme director,
We have proved on several occasions that we possess the potential and ability to care for each other as we move forward as a nation. And as young people, you are the representatives of the future and as architects of the future you must assume ownership of the present in order to dictate the shape of the future.
Working together, we can do more!
Thank you!
Issued by: Limpopo Provincial Government
16 June 2010
