Youth pioneers protest against broken pledges
MASUPATSELA Youth Pioneers (MYP) from all the districts of Limpopo took to Polokwane's streets to raise their grievances and to demand permanent positions at the department of social development.
Desmond Boshego
POLOKWANE – MASUPATSELA Youth Pioneers (MYP) from all the districts of Limpopo took to Polokwane’s streets last Friday to raise their grievances and to demand permanent positions at the department of social development.
According to MYP chairperson, Robert Mabunda, they were previously promised learnerships in the structure of assistant community development practitioners level five since 2009.
“In 2012 around March, a circular came from the national Masupatsela steering committee recommending that provinces should develop exit strategies for the absorption of the current pioneers. Other provinces managed to absorb their pioneers while our province has encountered challenges. The challenges include executing a strategy after being given the responsibility to resolve the incomplete objectives of this programme.
“Our dedication has prevailed throughout even though our province went through a difficult time in 2011/2012 with financial constraints. Our passion has shown how tough we are, anjd we reached all the targets that were handed to us without queries,” Mabunda said.
He said they were recruited as youth, although now most of them were adults, while others had left the MYP and continued with their lives, having reaped no benefits to speak of from the programme.
“We are very surprised to see the department proceed to run other similar projects instead of resolving this one programme from 2009 that has become a stumbling block to all involved.
Mabunda further said the latest circular had indicated that they were to be trained early in February this year, but the department ignored them when they tried to approach management.
The protest march culminated in a memorandum being handed over to the department. It was receivede by Desmond Mahopo on behalf of the head of the department. Mahopo welcomed the memorandum and promised to send it straight to the department managers.
“With the challenges faced by the pioneers, the department will discuss the matter and a response will be given after seven days.
“We promise that every mistake by the department that is found, will be rectified,” Mahopo said.
