Pretoria - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe says progress has been made in the last nine months since the signing of the Youth Employment Accord.
Answering questions in the National Assembly, the Deputy President said the Presidential Youth Indaba on Jobs and Skills, which was held last weekend, gave a detailed progress report on the accord.
“The Youth Employment Accord has also promoted the creation of internship opportunities for the youth in national departments, municipalities and state-owned enterprises,” said the Deputy President.
He said the jobs were in construction linked to the National Infrastructure Plan, the trade sector, government programmes, business services, transport and communication.
He said government and its social partners were trying their best to empower and employ young people.
The Accord, which was signed on 18 April last year, makes several commitments to improve education and skilling of young people, and helping them to find jobs and start their businesses. In it, government also commits to increase the number of people employed in the public sector, while certain industries are to set youth development targets.
“There are now just over 6.1 million youth who are employed, since the signing of the accord. Since the signing, youth employment [people under 35] rose by 420 000, the biggest rise in youth employment in a long time,” the Deputy President said.
Answering a question on the draft Executive Members’ Ethics Amendment Bill, the Deputy President said the bill has been approved by Cabinet in December.
“The amended bill was then referred to the Department of Justice, as a lead department to embark on its internal process. Once that is completed, it will be submitted to Parliament.”
The Members' Ethics Act, which dates from 1998, governs the conduct of the president, deputy president, ministers, deputy ministers, premiers and MECs. – SAnews.gov.za
