the ad-hoc Committee on the review of chapter 9 and associated
institutions
23 August 2007
The National Youth Commission (NYC) welcomes the report of the ad hoc
committee of the abovementioned committee.
We see the report as a contribution towards reengineering our democracy to
respond directly to the needs of citizens, with specific reference to youth in
this case. This comes at a critical point when there is much focus and a public
debate on issues affecting youth, including their institutions. The report
provides a positive step towards building efficiency amongst these
institutions, as some recommendations are an affirmation and acknowledgement of
continuous debates and suggestions made by these institutions and their various
constituencies.
However, the report is not premised on the evolution of youth development in
South Africa and lacks insight of the youth development agenda adopted by the
youth sector and government in general that gave rise to the current
institutional mechanism, in particular the character and the role of the
NYC.
On the main proposal of clubbing the youth and others into a Human Rights
and Equality Commission, our view is that it is very premature to suggest that
challenges faced by the vulnerable sectors of our society, especially the youth
and women can be responded through a 'one basket approach.' Of course, specific
and targeted interventions are a cost to our developmental state, however any
society, in particular South Africa has to pay for such costs in an effort to
address gross violations perpetuated by the 'apartheid government.'
We are currently providing a detailed response to the report and await due
processes as would be outlined by Parliament. We are also disappointed that the
institutions that were being reviewed were not given an opportunity to comment
before the report is finalised and made public. This has led to the report
containing a number of factual inconsistencies, informed by the lack of
intimate understanding of the sectoral specific issues pertaining to the
institutions being reviewed.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Mothupi
Cell: 082 847 6856
Tlale
Cell: 084 405 8677
Issued by: National Youth Commission
23 August 2007
Source: National Youth Commission (http://www.nyc.gov.za)
