Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has appealed to the private sector to open their businesses to the youth for internships and apprentices in line with the youth employment accord.
Speaking at the National Youth Day Commemoration in Tshwane, on Tuesday, President Zuma said: “The economy is not growing as fast as we want to and is not creating as many jobs as we need. As a result many of our graduates sit at home without jobs.
“We have to work together to provide opportunities for the youth, who are the future of our country. Government cannot perform this task alone. We thank all businesses that continue to employ young people and offer opportunities to them”.
The President also encouraged Young South Africans to become entrepreneurs.
The Industrial Development Corporation, in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) have ring-fenced 2.7 billion rand over the next five years for young people to take up opportunities in business.
In the last financial year, the NYDA supported a total of 1 043 micro and small youth owned enterprises. The NYDA has provided non-financial business development support to 62 990 young aspiring and established entrepreneurs.
“We have urged government departments to market the various training and development programmes that they offer nationally and provincially, as well as in municipalities in the country.
“Already various Ministers and Deputy Ministers are engaged in a month long Imbizo programme engaging our youth in various corners of our country, to inform them of opportunities that exist,” he said.
Presidential Youth Working Group
The Working Group is a platform for the youth to participate in government policy-making. It will enable young people to sensitise government about their needs, and assist in enhancing these policies for better future outcomes for the youth.
The President said the work of the Presidential Youth Working Group will be taken forward through five work streams to promote the goal of achieving economic freedom.
These are:
- Economic Participation and Transformation;
- Education, Skills and Second Chances;
- Health Care and Combating Substance Abuse;
- Nation Building and Social Cohesion; and
- Building effective and Responsive Youth Development Institutions.
Outstanding young people
President Zuma also used the platform to recognise young South Africans who are moving the country forward through achieving more in their respective fields.
These included the youngest medical doctor in the country, Dr Sandile Kubheka, who completed his medical degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal when he was only 20-years-old and 25- year-old rocket scientist, Siyabulela Xuza, from Umthatha, who studied energy engineering at Harvard University in the United States. The Americans named a mini-planet after him because of his achievements. Also recognised was the youngest pilot in the country if not the world, 18-year- old Grade 12 learner, Marcelle Nienaber, who obtained her pilot’s license at the age of 16 years.
The young scientist, who developed the world’s first functional digital laser, Dr Sandile Ngcobo, who works at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria was also recognised as well as the youngest skydiver in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Corporal Dakalo Mavhungu, 22, from Tshakuma village, Limpopo.
“We want more young people to become achievers in sports. In this regard, we congratulate Sithelo Mlambo from uMlazi Township in Durban, the winner of the Karate World Cup competition that was recently held in Durban, hosted by South Africa for the first time,” he said.
The President also announced a critical partnership between the NYDA and the global Mara Mentor Foundation. The partnership will introduce the Mara Mentor mentorship initiative, an online mentorship scheme for young businesspeople.
Mara Mentor was founded by Ashish J Thakkar, a highly regarded young global entrepreneur and outstanding role model for African youth. “We want South African youth to be part of that collective of empowered global youth.
“We invite CEOs and other senior executives to be ready to perform this role of mentoring thousands of South African youth who want to go into business,” he said, adding that the details of the initiative will be unveiled at a formal launch in Sandton, tomorrow.
President Zuma’s message to young South Africans is that every young person must take responsibility for their own development and for the path towards economic freedom.
“We want to build a patriotic youth that loves this country and who will do everything to defend and promote the interests of the Republic of South Africa.
“We ask you to do a few small things which will contribute a lot to building your country,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
