R250 million to address youth unemployment in Mpumalanga
The fund will support emerging and micro enterprises owned by youth in townships and rural areas.
Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtsweni -Tsipane says the province has measures in place to address the challenges faced by unemployed youth.
“The Mpumalanga province has declared youth unemployment as a national crisis, which needs urgent and decisive actions that will address this scourge,” said Mtsweni -Tsipane while delivering the State of the Province Address today.
She said government has launched a Youth Development Fund worth R250 million over a period of five years.
“The provincial government shall develop a unit to manage the fund, ” she adds.
According to Mtsweni-Tsipane, the fund will support emerging and micro enterprises owned by youth in townships and rural areas.
The fund will also promote innovations, inventions and creativity among the youth through incubators with special emphasis on the youth from disadvantaged areas.
She adds that the fund will also provide job skilling through learnerships, placements and partnerships with private sector, as well as SETAs.
It will also provide starter packs for youth to start their own business.
