Delivering a keynote address at the 2019 national Youth Day celebrations at the Polokwane Cricket Fields on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated that youth unemployment remained a national crisis as more than half of South Africans aged 15 to 24 are unemployed.
He stressed that if they were to urgently address this, they need active participation of the private sector to create pathways into work for young people who are prepared to learn, work hard and better themselves. He further said they welcome the work being done through the Youth Employment Service (Yes) as the initiative has placed over 18 000 young people in employment opportunities and is providing business infrastructure and support through its community hubs.
“While this is a one year intervention, it has already become clear that many of these young people are finding long term employment at the end of their year in the Yes programme. The National Youth Development Agency (Nyda) continues to provide interventions to support young entrepreneurs and has over the past five years disbursed development finance to more than
6 000 start-up youth entrepreneurs and helped create more than 18 000 new jobs. In its efforts to break barriers in the job market, the Nyda has trained almost 400 000 young people on job preparedness and life skills and around 25 000 of these youths have now been placed in permanent jobs,” Ramaphosa remarked.
The Expanded Public Works and Community Works programmes continue to provide work opportunities and income relief to young people as they perform labour intensive activities such as building roads, clearing alien vegetation and fighting fires, he said. He added that providing opportunities to young people in rural areas was an important focus and is the impetus behind the establishment of the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme. He indicated that government was working together with various stakeholders to empower young people nationwide.
According to Ramaphosa, they know all too well that the hardships young people face are not limited to unemployment. He said the social ills that have beset the country have had a devastating impact on young people and to uplift the youth, to offer them hope of a better life, government must be their pillar of support as they try to navigate the difficult passageway into adulthood. Ramaphosa went on to highlight that alcohol and substance abuse was taking a devastating toll on young people’s lives across the nation as he pointed out that the average age of a drug user was getting younger.
“The high incidence of HIV among young people indicates that we also need to step up prevention campaigns directed at youth to raise awareness around risky sexual behaviour. We also have to deal with gender-based violence among young people and encourage them to conduct healthy relationships, and to dismantle deeply ingrained sexist attitudes towards women and girls,” he explained.
The future belongs to this country’s youth, Ramaphosa stressed and added that young people were brimming with potential but social ills are holding them back and diverting them from their distant glory. He further stressed that they were on a mission to support young people entering the labour market by growing new and future jobs, and by giving them the opportunities to serve their communities and contribute to the growth of the economy. Working with social partners, organised labour, business and civil society, government is building on agreements such as the Youth Accord and the Jobs Summit to try and solve the challenge of youth unemployment in a sustainable manner he stated and concluded by saying if the nation can rise as one and open up opportunities for youth from all facets of society, they will be able to bring hope and change to the lives of young people.
Ahead of the start of the official programme, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President David Mabuza, Premier Stan Mathabatha and chairperson of the Nyda Sifiso Mtsweni were challenged to dance with musician Holly Ray. The group delivered impressive dance moves that got the crowd whistling and clapping. The audience burst into laughter when Ramaphosa attempted to strike ‘vosho’ dance move.
Story & photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
