Pretoria - The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has welcomed the age restriction set by the Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu for access to free public housing.
“Allowing youth below the age of 35 to access free housing will only create further dependency and negate efforts at national development and building a productive youth population,” NYDA Executive Chairperson Yershen Pillay said.
Minister Sisulu recently announced that people under the age of 40 years would not qualify to receive free public housing from the government.
“The Minister is correct to argue that priority must be given to the elderly but priority should also be given to the creation of opportunities for youth,” Pillay said.
She said the Department of Human Settlements implements a YouthBuild Infrastructure Development Programme in partnership with the NYDA.
The programme enrols thousands of youth across the country to build and maintain community amenities and RDP houses.
“These young people are involved in a YouthBuild programme for one year and then receive certified training in brick-laying, carpentry and plumbing.
“Many youth exit this programme and gain employment as artisans while others start their own businesses,” he said.
Pillay said the NYDA contributed R14 million to the programme while the Department of Human Settlements contributed a further R16 million.
Last year, 3 788 young people participated in the YouthBuild programme and in June, 76 houses were built by hundreds of youth and handed over to the community of Lindelani in the Northern Cape.
“As the NYDA, we therefore endorse the age restrictions on qualifying for free public housing but we call on the Ministry to invest more resources into the YouthBuild Infrastructure Development Programme where young people are building houses for themselves and receiving training as artisans,” Pillay said. – SAnews.gov.za
