Statement of the of the National Youth Development Agency following Ordinary Board Meeting
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) convened an ordinary Board meeting on Tuesday, 21 May 2019, to receive quarterly reports which included Annual Financial and Performance Statements. The Board also discussed the state of readiness to host Youth Month 2019.
On the 6th Democratic Parliament
The NYDA congratulates President Cyril Ramaphosa on election as the 5th democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa. We take this opportunity to wish him well as he grows our country and move it forward.
More importantly, the NYDA takes this opportunity to congratulate over 45 Members of Parliament under the age of thirty-five (35) representing different political parties in the National Assembly. We also congratulate thirty (30) others across different provincial legislatures.
The 3rd NYDA Board of Directors took office two years ago and committed to champion the course for youth representation in all decision-making structures. We demanded 20% youth representation in Parliament, government and in the private sector. We called for a 40% youth quota at all companies as a direct measure to fight youth unemployment. We are encouraged that our struggle was not in vain, we were also acutely aware that the struggle for youth representation was not an event, but an ongoing battle which we made a significant breakthrough.
The NYDA is itself honoured to have three (3) of its sitting Board members elected into Parliament representing the ANC and IFP respectively. We congratulate NYDA Executive Deputy Chairperson, Ms Bavelile Hlongwa, Mr Kenny Morolong and Ms Zandile Majozi on their election into Parliament. We are confident that working with other youth across political formations will ensure placement of youth development at the epicentre of the country’s economic development and growth agenda.
The election of the members of the NYDA Board means they will no longer serve as members of the Board since it reports directly to Parliament.
NYDA Act prescribes a process of selection and appointment of members of the Board. The NYDA is in the Presidency and members of the Board are appointed by the President following recommendations by Parliament. We have written to the Accounting Authority (The Presidency through DPME) to receive guidance on how to ensure the institution remains stable and governance continues unabated.
2018/2019 Annual Performance
The NYDA Board is proud to have met all its set targets by reaching 100% of its annual objectives. We are currently subjecting all information to final verification and will submit to the AG. We are happy that we were able to disperse over 1103 Grants to youth-owned enterprises from a target of 840 grants thereby creating over 1000 brand new business owners in 12 months. Our business development support services have supported 25 425 young people from an annual target of 18900. As a result, we have contributed over 5000 direct jobs and a further 5481 through placement in job opportunities. In addition, the NYDA has embarked on a rigorous outreach programme that has seen us reach 1 882 243 young people who were provided with youth development information. We have embarked on 68 programs targeted at rural and township youth.
We have set ourselves an objective of ensuring that the NYDA reaches far and wide, to date in just 2018/2019 we have opened 17 new centres, in the month of June we are launching 6 new centres in the Eastern Cape, Kwa Zulu-Natal and Western Cape rural areas. We have always raised sharply the issue of the budget of the NYDA which is not enough, to date we have raised close to R100 million from partner organizations as well as Provincial and National Departments.
On Finances
We are happy to have spent the entire budget with 70% of the budget going directly to projects. Indications on our Annual Financial Statements are that we have achieved our target of R0 in wasteful and unauthorized expenditure and we are set to achieve the 5th Consecutive Clean Audit.
On Governance and HR
All vacancies at Executive and Senior level have been filled, so the top Management of the institution has now been stabilized. Issues related to the restructuring processes have been concluded and we have reached an agreement with organized labour on outstanding issues including annual increases. The institution has been stabilized in this regard.
On National Youth Service
Our country is one of the few that does not have a compulsory National Youth Service Programme (NYSP) however as the NYDA we have resolved to intensify the National Youth Service. To date we have enrolled close to 200 000 into the program via the different categories. We have partnered with Departments of Arts and Culture, Social Development, Human Settlement, Sports and Recreation, Transnet and various Municipalities. We will intensify this program to reach a million target by 2020.
On Education
We have produced 500 new graduates of the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship fund as we commemorated the 40th Anniversary of Solomon Mahlangu. Our partnership with NSFAS has also seen over 180 000 students using our different offices to access NSFAS applications and benefit from free education.
On Policy
We have finalized the Integrated Youth Development Strategy as well as the Status of Youth Report which have been submitted to the Presidency. Through this vigorous process as well as lobbying we have successfully managed to get Government to legislate the removal of experience as an entry level requirement for all entry level jobs. This is coupled with the 20% quota achieved for youth representation in all key decision-making bodies. We have called on the President to also include youth as he appoints the 6th Government cabinet.
On Youth Month.
This year we will officially launch the youth month on the 4th of June at the Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto. This will be followed by activities which we will outline on the 4th of June. This year, 2019, the Annual June 16 commemorative events will take place in Limpopo. Details will be released in due course.
We once again take this opportunity to wish all young people of this country strength as we continue to fight against unemployment, poverty and inequalities. Youth development will continue to be at the epicentre of our struggles and indeed victory is certain.
Enquiries:
Lerato Gambu
Cell: 064 860 0716
