Youth Month in KwaDukuza
16 June 2007
Three days ago we descended on these plains on which once walked a giant of
our people's struggle for liberation, Inkosi Albert Luthuli. We came here to be
part of the Youth Parliament, as part of a broader programme designed by
KwaZulu-Natal to extend democracy to the people of our province.
We chose KwaDukuza because this year we are commemorating 40 years since
Inkosi uLuthuli passed away during a tragic incident in which he was run over
by a train. In celebrating Youth Month in this municipality we are recommitting
ourselves to the values which Inkosi uLuthuli died cherishing. We are also here
to connect the strands which inextricably bind the youth of our country and
province to the future we are planning to have.
Under this year's theme "Deepening Youth Participation Through Service", the
National Youth Commission (NYC) has divided this month's activities around the
country to include the following a few sub themes "Children's Rights, Economic
Participation and Social Cohesion".
The NYC exists in order to do advocacy work on youth matters. The NYC has
over the years condensed youth challenges into three i.e. employment creation,
poverty alleviation and literacy campaign. As a result of the NYC's work we
have seen a number of interventions from national government. These include the
rollout of learnerships, additional funding towards the National Students
Finance Aid Scheme (NSFAS) recruitment of unemployed youth into the Expanded
Public Works Programme (EPWP) and opportunities arising out of the 2010 Soccer
World Cup.
The NYC has brought the private sector into youth development in a bid to
create employment and business opportunities for our young people. Other
initiatives involve the youth in building social cohesion, building the soul of
the nation and leading the moral regeneration campaign.
Under economic participation the NYC asks what the Joint Initiative on
Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa)/ Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative
for South Africa (AsgiSA) have achieved in targets set to develop scarce skills
among young people. Jipsa targets skills which are critical to increasing the
growth trajectory of our economy to at least 6%.
During this exercise the NYC, as the custodian of youth interests
nationally, has asked whether youth entrepreneurship strategies such as
Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) are really assisting our young people get into
business. As a province we must also ask if the Sector Education and Training
Authorities (SETAs) have been successful in imparting skills to our youth. We
must also ask if the private sector has been co-operating with the one company,
one learner campaign of the NYC? Are companies in this province taking youth on
learnerships and experiential training?
We must as a province find a place for the youth in our FIFA 2010 World Cup
programme and ensure that the opportunities are real and accessible. These are
important questions to ask of ourselves if we are to examine the extent to
which we are progressing towards securing our future. We do not have time to
slow down all the progress we have made so far. As we have said before, like
African National Congress (ANC) President Oliver Tambo we believe that, "A
society that does not take care of its youth does not deserve its future".
Provincial Youth Commission (PYC)
In February we launched the PYC which has six fulltime members. On an urgent
basis we need to develop a Provincial Youth Service Plan. The PYC also needs to
ensure that its structure is institutionalised. The proposed quick wins for the
PYC are:
* To encourage youth to enrol with Further Education and Training (FET)
colleges for skills development. The Department of Education has allocated R600
million over three years for this purpose.
* To develop a social crime prevention project aimed at making youth
ambassadors of a crime free society.
* To launch a general education campaign with objectives of addressing the drop
out rate and reducing child pregnancy. This will target both boys and
girls.
* The formation of co-operatives directed at youth in line with the Integrated
Development Plans (IDPs).
The PYC, however, has to be constituted in terms of the KwaZulu-Natal Youth
Commission Act. The Act requires the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As government we will provide all the
necessary administrative support for the PYC to function.
Once a public entity the PYC will report through the Premier, to Parliament
and will now be able to do business in its own name including raising its own
finances. This makes it possible for the Legislature and youth in general to
monitor and hold accountable the PYC.
Skills development
We have announced major infrastructure projects in KwaZulu-Natal recently.
These are the airport at La Mercy, the Iconic Soccer Stadium on the old Kings
Park Soccer Stadium site, the Dube Trade Port and the widening of the Durban
Harbour. Billions of rands are flowing into these projects in a feat that is
unprecedented in the history of KwaZulu-Natal.
As we construct these projects we must ensure that critical skills are
passed onto the youth. We are saying that youth can provide fuel supplies,
cement, bricks, pipes, seats, decorations and many other products as part of
the main suppliers or in cases where possible, on their own. Let us break down
the opportunities so that those who want to take advantage of the business
opportunities can do so.
As a province we have already identified the skills which are necessary to
help us maintain our growth trajectory and successfully carry out the above
projects. We have placed on learnership just under 900 people in the various
sectors of our economy including construction, engineering and information
technology (IT). We currently have 100 learners on IT learnership for the
disabled.
The students have completed their theoretical learning and are being placed
in municipalities and provincial departments for experiential learning. This
learnership is funded by the Information Systems, Electronics and
Telecommunications Technologies (ISETT) SETA.
The following further learnerships are in the process of being
implemented:
530 EPWP construction learnerships including:
* new venture creation learnerships
* construction contractor learnerships
* construction supervisor learnerships
There are 120 apprenticeships in manufacturing, engineering and related
services. These apprenticeships include motor mechanics, welders, millwrights
and refrigeration mechanics.
There are 120 automotive sector learners covering millwrights, electricians,
diesel fitters, electrical technicians, mechanical technicians, civil engineers
and electrical engineers.
All these above learnerships have been identified based on the programmes
and projects which are part of the Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) of
KwaZulu-Natal. As we have said before these include the Dube Trade Port, the
airport in La Mercy, Port Expansion, the Soccer Stadium and the EPWP.
The Department of Housing has in addition to its Graduate Internship
Programme launched a Youth Bursary Fund awarded to 21 youths so far. It targets
matriculants who want to study in the following areas:
* Environmental/Land Use Management Law
* architectural studies
* civil engineering
* project management
* town and regional planning
* land surveying
* construction management
Crime
As we make this great surge forward we are worried that this future is being
undermined by a few factors. These include the increasing numbers of our young
people who are at the forefront of crime in KwaZulu-Natal. The majority of
people who break into people's cars and homes are young people. The majority of
people who hijack cars in conjunction with syndicates are young people. We hear
stories of murder and rape of children and women because our young people have
committed them in the main. This is a reality we must deal with if we are to
deal with crime but also if we are to have a future at all. There is nothing
genetic about this behaviour.
Of importance is the fact that these acts are only committed by a minority
of our people. Of further importance is that we are doing everything to quell
this wave and we are winning the war. We however call on all our people
especially the youth to use the memory of Inkosi Luthuli to be part of Popular
Front Against Crime. Those who are prone to criminal behaviour must cease to be
heroes. We must isolate them. In simple terms, don't do crime, don't steal,
don't rob, don't rob, do not commit murder! We also call on members of the
community not to aid and abet crime by buying stolen goods.
Our youth must be leaders of the moral regeneration movement. This will see
them lead our struggle for the birth of a new citizen of KwaZulu-Natal who has
a respect for self, is patriotic towards country and province and has a
spiritual centre that guides their life. This is why we have revitalised the
Girl Guide and Boys Scouts movement and seek to have more than 200 000 members
in the near future.
We call on the youth to be part of the effort to create an HIV and AIDS free
generation. The threat of this epidemic means that our best resources must be
galvanised to ensure we have a healthy people ready to take advantage of the
progress we are making as a province. Together in partnership we will win.
Happy Youth Month celebrations!
Masisukume Sakhe iKwaZulu-Natal!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
16 June 2007
