HOD and Senior managers of
Department of Infrastructure Development (DID)
Programme director
Chairperson of the Gauteng NYDA Advisory Board, Simon Molefe
Representatives of the CIDB
Distinguished attendees from the built industry
Ladies and gentlemen
Programme director,
A critical component of youth development is providing youth with an opportunity to contribute to programmes created for their benefit. And that is the purpose of today’s summit. As a caring and responsive government informed by the traditions of our fore bearers when they developed the Freedom charter by involving all affected stakeholders, we also acknowledge and appreciate that in order for us to serve young people’s interests and aspirations effectively; we need to create room for them to participate in shaping the content and context of our intervention programme.
Young people must provide government with feedback as well as contribute their ideas for programs, services and the manner in which these should be implemented. As young professionals in the built-industry and young construction entrepreneurs, you are here to make an input on the way-forward and thus assisting the province to make informed interventions.
Programme director,
Today marks the last day of June, which has been declared Youth Month; but it should not be the last time we do something positive for the youth of Gauteng. Our youth development agenda is a continuous programme.
As government, we shall continue to develop intervention programmes, provide services that are targeted at young people and initiate activities that seeks to empower them throughout. The youth month programme was heightened effort to educate, inform and mobilise the youth of Gauteng so that they are aware of what their government is doing for them.
The Gauteng Provincial Government’s approach towards youth development encompasses the following key elements or principles:
- meeting the developmental needs of young people in the province
- building on the premise that young people are a national asset for now and resources for the future, with lots of potential
- building partnerships with youth-based structures and formation to create positive and sustainable development.
No one person, institution or organisation acting alone can ensure that all young people acquire these skills and support they so much need to succeed. It takes all of us working towards common goals and adhering to the common principles of youth development to make this happen.
It has long been identified that for the Gauteng Integrated Youth Development strategy to succeed, we need an organisational structure that is supportive of youth development within a holistic approach to all youth. It is in this regard that structures such the Youth Directorates were established within all GPG line departments.
The establishment of structures such the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) as well as the Ministry of Women, Youth and People with disabilities at national level is an indication on how youth development has been elevated within the agenda of government at both monitoring and implementation levels. The above is a clear demonstration of government’s commitment toward youth development and empowerment on a continuous and sustainable basis.
The Department of Infrastructure Development is central to the achievement of government’s broader strategic priorities around job creation, skills development, small, meduim and micro enterprises (SMME) development, including youth empowerment programmes.
We are at the forefront of Gauteng Provincial Government’s efforts aimed at facilitating economic participation and empowerment, education and training targeting young people of Gauteng.
Our task is to take both national and provincial priorities in respect of youth development into account in our programme planning and implementation. Through our Youth Directorate, we have sought to ensure that youth empowerment resonates with all our plans and programmes. Taking a cue from the provincial targets around youth; we have ensured that the youth component occupies the set percentages in all our programmes and activities, including supply chain processes.
The department is responsible for the provision and maintenance of the province’s socio-economic infrastructure through flagship programmes such as EPWP, NYS, Capital Works Infrastructure Programme, and Infrastructure Maintenance.
Infrastructure development is the basis of economic development and an improved quality of life for our people. It affords the citizens quality access to public services. The key question in terms of youth development in the department has to do with how and to what extent is the DID empowering the youth in its service delivery machinery.
It has to do with how has the department managed to integrate young people, especially entrepreneurs in the infrastructure and construction industry, into its programmes as part of the broader transformation of the built industry. The partnership we have with institutions such as the CIDB are strategically placed to assist us in ensuring that youth based intervention programmes are implemented around infrastructure and construction industry.
The support that the youth-owned construction companies receive will go a long way in ensuring that the department is able to integrate young people. However, there is more to youth empowerment in the infrastructure and construction field from the DID. Skills development and training opportunities are being provided to the youth of Gauteng through the Accelerated Artisan Training Skills programme.
Bursaries for engineering-related studies are being offered by both the department and the Gauteng City-Region Academy (GCRA). The department is implementing the EPWP in a manner that enhances skills development and optimising decent employment and entrepreneurship. 10 496 job opportunities have been created by this department through the EPWP, and 4 530 of the total went to young people, whilst 1976 went to women beneficiaries and 36 to people with disabilities. Seventy-seven emerging contractors were offered opportunities to participate in EPWP projects.
Programme director,
The launch the National Youth Service programme as an overarching youth development programme that seeks to provide skills to the youth whilst exposing them to the work environment has been met with great enthusiasm from young people.
The Gauteng province has the largest intake of the National Youth Service Learners since the inception of this programme. For the 2011/12 financial year, DID has recruited 4 000 young people into the NYS programme.
Our department is aiming at recruiting 500 young people on the Accelerated Artisan Programme during the 2011/12 financial year. These recruited young people will be placed in various companies to receive technical skills training for the period of 18 months, after which they would exit and enter into formal employment.
DID is also in the process of implementing the Contractor Incubation Programme which has a 40% youth component. Through this capacity-building programme, the young construction entrepreneurs who own companies will be equipped with construction business admin skills and basic technical skills.
We are also in the process of constructing a June 16 Youth Memorial Institute, which will be located around 16 June Heritage Acre in White City, Jabavu.
Conclusion,
This government has recognised the manner in which young people have been affected by the imbalances of the past and we continue to acknowledge the role and contribution played by the youth in the struggle for democracy.
It is in that regard that government has sought to redress these imbalances through more equitable policies, programmes and the mobilisation of resources so that the youth of today can experience economic freedom in their lifetime.
Thank you, Programme director.
Source: Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development
