Pretoria - Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Buti Manamela on Monday paid a monitoring visit to the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) branch in Polokwane.
The visit was aimed at checking the service delivery programmes for young people at the branch.
The young people who were accessing services expressed general contentment with the services of the branch, which include free internet access mainly for employment opportunities, job applications research and information on government services.
In terms of the products of the NYDA, most young people in Polokwane go to the branch for entrepreneurial support. This support is in the form of financial and non-financial support.
Minister Manamela also visited two youth-owned businesses which received grants to the tune of R100 000.
The first business is a barbershop which was assisted with a grant of about R50 000 for expansion while the second business is a fish and chips outlet that also received R50 000 and more young people have been employed in the businesses.
"What I have witnessed with these young people is that it is indeed true that one does not have to be politically connected to receive funding from the NYDA.
“These are young people with a passion for entrepreneurship and are running successful businesses with a hand up from government," said Minister Manamela.
According to the Minister, the need for expansion in terms of access to government information and services by young people is explicit.
“It is for this this reason that access to these services be extended to every corner of South Africa,” he said.
At the request of the youth, the Deputy Minister agreed to lobby for more funding from treasury given the need for entrepreneurial and other support for young people. – SAnews.gov.za
