Young people have their say at youth imbizo

The youth of Kokosi township, Fochville, had an opportunity to interact with the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Adv. Ngoako Ramatlhodi on the issue of youth development during a Youth Imbizo at the Popo Molefe Stadium on Thursday 9 June. The minister was supposed to have been joined by the SABC’s chief operating officer, Mr Hlaudi Motoeneng but, due to unforeseen circumstances, the latter couldn’t make it. The outreach programme, which is celebrated under the theme: “Youth moving South Africa forward”, forms part of the National Youth Month Imbizo programme in which government and young people meet on different platforms to discuss access to developmental programmes to improve the lives of young people. These include, among others, economic development and programmes aimed at educational and skills development. Although the imbizo started later than expected, it was a great success and the youth of Kokosi proved to be admirably well-organised and disciplined. They were later given the opportunity to raise issues they face in their area on a daily basis. Young people from Kokosi, Wedela and Greenspark never held back and demanded that the relevant officials should actively participate in developing the youth and build development centres for young people to learn skills and find good jobs. Most of the youth in Kokosi seemed to share a feeling of being sidelined in all these projects that could help to develop them. A youth from Kokosi described the mayor and other officials as “tourists” because they only come around Youth Day every year, listen to the problems of the youth in that area then disappear for another year. The youth made their feelings clear about the municipality’s substandard levels of service delivery. The government officials responded that they would try their best to meet their demands and help develop the youth of Kokosi.