Issue 3, Vol 11: 27 March 2014
In this issue: Youth have a good story to tell Youth have a good story to tell Yershen Pillay Having a youth population of approximately 21.7 million is quite overwhelming when one considers the immense demands and immediate needs of these young people that largely becomes the burden of the state. Having a fixed resource base and capacity constraints makes the task even more daunting. Young people today face a myriad of challenges that are quite complex requiring a thorough diagnosis of each and every challenge from youth unemployment to education and skills development. It also requires a more concerted effort from all stakeholders to play an active role in youth development. The responsibility however lies with Government to promote the coordination of efforts aimed at supporting young people, provide an enabling environment and ensure that adequate support mechanisms exist. It is then up to the private sector, civil society, labour and young people themselves to make sure that commitments are adhered to and each stakeholder plays their part in realizing the gains to be made. The question then arises as to how much quantifiable and testimonial progress we have made under the ANC government in improving the lives of young South Africans. Progress in this instance refers to gains made from one period to the next and should be assessed with the understanding that no government in history has ever been able to successfully meet the needs, interests and demands of all its youth. However, in the context of a negative global economic situation and prevailing legacies of Apartheid much progress has been made in improving the lives of young South Africans albeit to varying degrees. Prior to 1994 no deliberate state measures were executed for youth development. It was only with the advent of democracy that bold and decisive steps were taken by the ANC government to provide opportunities for South African youth. The result was the establishment of the National Youth Commission (NYC) in 1996 and the formation of the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) in 2001. In an effort to integrate policy and planning with implementation the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) was then established in 2009 through the merger of the NYC and UYF. Numerous policy and legislative developments accompanied the institutional arrangements for youth development such as the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Development Agency Act 54 of 2008. The outcomes of such a deliberate focus on empowering young people finds expression in the staggering figures of youth assisted by these institutions over the years. In the ten years between 2002 and 2012 approximately thirty million young South Africans received some form of product or service which included career guidance, loans, vouchers, mentorship, job placements, bursaries, scholarships etc. The last five years in particular has seen almost 6 million youth receiving support from state entities. Worth mentioning is the significant increase in education related support that increased from 44 000 to 1.6 million in the last five years primarily in the form of career guidance and technical skills training. This combined with the 7 million learners in no fee schools and the 1.4 million poor students who were able to access higher education as a result of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme paints a picture of a nation focused on educating its youth. Let us not forget the 6.1 million youth who are currently employed earning an income to support their basic needs and live a decent life. According to Godfrey St. Bernard, “youth employment is a critical domain if only to re-assure governments that their investment in early childhood and preadolescent stages in the lives of young people was worthy and as such, has stimulated the kind of momentum that will render economic institutions as sustainable entities.” In this regard the Youth Employment Accord signed on the 18th April 2013 by government, organized labour, organized business as well as community and youth formations offers a mass-based, collective and realistic approach to accelerate job creation for young South Africans. The Accord aims to make a meaningful contribution to the creation of five million jobs by 2020. Numbers though should have meaning. The stories that emanate out of the commendable figures depicting such noteworthy performance bear testament to the human face behind the numerical mask. It would be prudent to share some of these stories explicating the notion that indeed we have a good story to tell especially as the youth of South Africa. The Lesedi Manufacturing Primary Co-operative and its thirteen young cooperators have a good story to tell. The Alexandra township is estimated to have a population of 750 000 and for years has struggled to combat the challenge of pollution in the densely populated township. Lesedi began recycling after some of their members, previously employed at a recycling plant, became aware of the large quantities of waste on the streets of Alexandra and thus turned a community problem into a viable business solution. The Lesedi Manufacturing Primary Co-operative is of particular significance because not only are they co-operating for skills development and job creation in the community of Alexandra but they also making tremendous strides in alleviating the carbon footprint in landfill sites. The NYDA provided the financial and non-financial business development support and the City of Johannesburg provided the land for the premises. Working together we turned a dream into a reality. The Siyaphumelela Community Development Project in Orange Farm, Gauteng has a good story to tell. This group of six young and proud South Africans decided to turn the problem of pollution in their community into a viable business. They took the initiative and government supported them to obtain a BEE Certificate as well as to buy a bottle crusher to improve their cooperative. They were one of the first beneficiaries of the new NYDA Grant Programme to receive a Grant of R60 000 which they then used to buy a Bottle Crusher for their waste recycling business. As they expand their green business further into the Vaal area of Gauteng they will continue to tell a good story. Puleng Molebatsi from Thabanchu in the Free State has a good story to tell. At the tender age of 14 years Puleng had to raise her two younger brothers and a cousin taking a shift away from her own personal educational development. With the help of government, she will be able to follow her dreams after she was funded to complete a short course in English at the University of Witwatersrand which will enable her to teach English to foreigners in South Africa or abroad. Karabo Robaya from Lebanon, Mabopane in the North West has a good story to tell. Karabo did his part by excelling in his studies. He then approached government for support. After receiving a scholarship to study at the Alabama State University in the USA, government funded Karabo's boarding and lodging expenses to ensure that he is able to succeed without having to worry about where to stay or what to eat in a foreign land. He is currently studying towards the US equivalent of a BSC Accounting degree. When 29 year old Monwabisi Mtsizi joined the YouthBuild Infrastructure Development Programme he was asked why he had made the choice to be part of such a programme. He replied by saying, “I want to set a positive example to the children of Langa where I grew up. Instead of the kids seeing me sitting around on the street corners gambling and drinking, they can look up to me as a role model, as someone who gives back to his community. I want to learn valuable skills from this programme.” He said that even though he is unemployed and doesn’t have much, this is the legacy he wants to leave behind. Mr. Mtsizi has a good story to tell. The Ukukhanya Rehabilitation Centre in rural KZN was established by a young man Khayelihle Gumbi. Khayelihle was once an alcoholic who lost his job and a promising career to substance abuse. He spent four years sleeping on the streets of Durban before he found the courage to change his life and start a rehabilitation centre to help others who battle alcohol and drug addiction. Today his centre assists hundreds of youth overcome their addictions and in so doing assists in creating drug free communities. Khayelihle has a good story to tell. The list of success stories since 1994 is endless. It is precisely because of such stories that young people today have a good reason to celebrate 20 years of democracy with pride and joy. Today more young people are employed than ever before. Today more young people have access to education than ever before. Today a young person can live feely and dare to dream because South Africa is a better place today than it was 20 years ago. Yershen Pillay Executive Chairperson of the NYDA and National Chairperson of the YCLSA Sent from my iPhone -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. 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