BY HON MRS T P MTHETHWA MPL
KZN LEGISLATURE
Honourable Speaker
Today is a special day whereas legislators are reflecting on the youth day celebration. We all know how the youth of 1976 united to fight a common problem regardless of their political affiliation. There was one common hope, one day we will be free. This then was achieved in 1994.
23 years of democracy is an important milestone, is the time when young people can tell whether we are going forward or backwards. We are proud as South Africans that all government institutions are open to all South Africans. The Education system though is still having half measures like schools are graded according to quintiles, rural allowances, Section 20 and Section 21. This is partially discrimination and we hope gradually we will deal away with these.
As the IFP, we believe in the fair distribution of wealth of the country for the benefit of all the people while promoting social justice and social responsibility and solidarity throughout the country within our communities, families and workplace. South African wealth still remains largely in White hands and the acquisition of political rights has not translated into the distribution of the economic power.
Young people are the county’s vanguards; they are an untapped Reservoir of Talent and is essential that they are given the right tools to unlock their potential. It is now the time for government to take action on recurring issues affecting the youth, unemployment, drug abuse, homelessness, teenage pregnancy, women abuse and killings. Young people are at risk of defective education.
Young people need to see a real relationship in you Honourable Members. They need to see leadership that cares, and understands the situation, one who can inspire them and encourage them to do better.
Thus when you give youth a voice in politics and public life orientate their skills and facilitate their access to decent jobs, they can play their full support in building stronger and more inclusive communities. Empowering young people and ensuring their participation at all levels will help him shape a better and more equitable future for us all. The youth is tired of the same rhetoric by different government departments, while they fail dismally to deal decisively with pertinent issues affecting the youth in this Province.
Youth don’t want talk shop anymore but they want actions. Government must walk the talk. Government owe the youth of this Province dearly and now it is a Payback time.
Intsha ikhathele futhi isivulekile amehlo, yingako nje eNquthu yenze ezibukwayo ivotela iIFP phezu kwazozonke izinto ezase zilethwa ngemizuzu yokugcina.
The IFP is of the view that youth ministry is the key to unlock the youth challenges. This will give a clear direction and fast track all programs directed to the youth. The IFP is requesting that resources be equally distributed to all young people within the province, not like the food parcels that were distributed to members of one political party in ward 12 in Nquthu.
Somlomo, kunezinhlaka ezifana ne-NYDA okuthiwa yasungulelwa ukusiza abantu abasha kodwa lenhlangano ayisabalele kuzozonke izindawo zasemakhaya. Intsha eningi kubalwa neyalapho ngiphuma khona eMkhanyakude ayazi lutho ukuthi yini yona leNYDA. Futhi kukhona uMnyango wezamabhizinisi oholwa uNgqongqoshe kaZwelonke uLindiwe Zulu nawo okuthiwa usiza abantu abasha kodwa nawo intsha ayiwazi ngoba lomnyango awuzihambeli izindawo zasemakhaya. Ziningi izinhlaka okuthiwa zisiza intsha okubalwa ne- Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa), National Empowerment Fund (NEF) kanye nezinye kodwa uma sekumele kukhishwe izimali intsha itshelwa inqwaba yezinto ezifunekayo njengezibambiso. Intsha izozithatha kuphi izibambiso ekubeni ayisebenzi? Angithi intsha kuthiwa ayilethe uhlaka lwebhizinisi phecelezi ama-businessplan uma ifuna usizo lwemali kodwa intsha eningi ayazi kwakuthi yini yona leyo-Business Plan futhi yenziwa kanjani futhi kuphi.
Njengeqembu leNkatha sithi kungaba kuhle uma uhulumeni engenza uhlelo lokuxhasa intsha ukuze yenze amabusiness plan mahhala ngoba baningi abantu abasha abanomqondo webhizinisi bese bexakwa ukuthi imali yokwenza amabusiness plan bazoyithatha kuphi njengoba ama-consultants awenzayo emba eqolo.
Kuyichilo eliphindiwe ukuthi nxazonke zalesisifundazwe ezimpambanweni zemigwaqo ikakhulukazi emadolobheni ufica abantu abasha bephakamise izingwembe ezibhalwe ukuthi bacela umsebenzi. Uma uhulumeni ekhuluma ngokudala amathuba omsebenzi kungani pho beqhubeka abantu nokuma emigwaqeni becela imisebenzi? Sikhathele ilohulumeni kaKhongolose olokhu ethembisa izigidi zamathuba emsebenzi kodwa ebe esho izicagogwana zemisebenzi evela uma kwakhiwa umgwaqo, izindlu zomxhaso noma izindlu zangasese. Uma sekuphele konke lokhu abantu babuyela osizini lwabo. Sicela uKhongolose uyeke ukusifundekela ngamanga ngodaba lwemisebenzi. Sifuna imisebenzi lapho intsha izoqashwa ngokugcwele hhayi amatoho ezinsuku ezintathu.
Nikezani intsha umhlaba ukuze ilime ixoshe indlala ngoba ukulima kuwumgogodla wempilo. Konke ukudla kuvela enhlabathini. Umnyango wezolimo kufanele ube sophondweni lokuthi ubeke phambili abantu abasha kwezolimo ukuze bakwazi ukuziphilisa bangalindi ukuthi baze baqashwe uhulumeni. Umnyango wezolimo awufuqe kakhulu umkhankaso wokugqugquzela intsha ukuthi ingene kwezolimo kodwa ngaphandle komhlaba akukho okungenziwa. Ziningi izindawo zamakhosi ezingodeda ngendlale ezingasetshenziselwa ukulima. Lokhu kuwumsebenzi womnyango ukuthi usebenzisane namakhosi ezindawo ekutheni anikezele ngezindawo zokulima ukuze intsha ingene ngomkhono nesiphanga embonini yezolimo.
There is no doubt that youth have been in the centre of the socio economic and social political changes taking place in South Africa. Should such a population be regarded as a burden or an asset? This is the best time for the government to invest in youth and reactivate and relocate their disfranchised energies. There is a need for economic growth and social development in the state. The most impounding problem our country’s youth is facing at present is frustration. This monster is eating our youth slowly and gradually.
Youth are sometimes asked to provide their input into the big issues in the landscapes sector, but let’s face it — this input often stays on the side-lines and rarely influences the ‘real’ decisions that are being made. Youth are being told to create their own opportunities through entrepreneurship in these tough financial times. Nine times out of ten, they are often not able to obtain loans for start-up activities. Young people are traditionally at the cutting edge, and today’s youth have more information than any previous generation. Their dynamism, creativity and idealism can combine to shape attitudes toward demand and help create more sustainable industries. When we invest in youth, they can contribute to new markets, decent jobs, fair trade, sustainable housing, sustainable transport and tourism, and more opportunities that benefit the planet and people.
The IFP believes that one of the important steps to be taken by the South African government is revision and revival of a national youth policy which must create situations whereby youth stand educated, employed and free from drug abuse, frustration, parochialism, sectarianism and other numerous evils which have weakened the foundations of our society.
We need to break the cycle of poverty while simultaneously addressing the issue of environmental sustainability. These young leaders will pave the way for a better and more sustainable future. If we miss this opportunity to invest in our youth, the consequences will be grave.
With this in mind, it has become imperative that we not only focus on the problems associated with unplanned settlements, rising numbers of unemployed youth, crime rate and the degradation of environment, but that we work together with the pioneers of today and leaders of tomorrow. We must ask ourselves how we can, in partnership with young people, solve issues such as the global climate change crisis.
Today, the common consensus is that there is a need to develop creative ways to help youth explore, discover, harness their potentials and leverage available resources in their environment to advantage. Youth Day celebration should be a 365 days project not for one particular day.
On this Day, I call for forging new partnerships and joining efforts in eliminating all the barriers young people face, in making them less vulnerable to any sort of exclusion so that we can all see the world through their eyes.
This is an opportunity we cannot miss.
Thank you.
