Address delivered by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South
Africa, Jacob Zuma, at the Youth Leaders Summit, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg
29 July 2009
Programme Director;
The Team of Youth Managers and the Youth Trust;
The Gauteng Enterprise Propeller;
Change Partners;
Tswalo Consulting;
Learning to Lead;
Ladies and gentlemen
I thank the organisers of this function, for giving me an opportunity to
address this occasion on a subject that is close to my heart ¬- the youth of
South Africa.
The youth are a very special and vibrant sector, because we cannot talk about
the future of this country without acknowledging the central role of the youth
in that future.
Esteemed guests;
The freedom that we enjoy today is the fruit of the toil and sacrifices that
many generations of young people have made in the past.
It is the future that was envisioned by the youth many years ago, and to which
many of them made significant contributions.
From the 1940s and through to the 1980s the youth demonstrated their power in
mobilising against the apartheid machinery, which sought to deny them equal
rights and opportunities.
I am stressing this historical aspect to engrave in your mind the
understanding that the freedom we enjoy today owes much to the sacrifices made
in the past.
As government, we fully understand the magnitude of the challenges that the
youth of this country face.
It is for this reason that since the advent of democracy, we have come up with
various programmatic interventions, some cross-cutting, others specifically
intended to improve the lives of the youth.
Our National Youth Policy (2009-2014) indicates four strategic interventions,
which include education, health and well being, economic participation, and
social cohesion.
Government departments are all set to make their sector specific contribution
in these interventions.
In addition, the National Youth Development Agency, which was launched on 16
June 2009, will implement programmes relating to information provision, skills
development and transfer, and entrepreneurship.
On the issue of economic participation, the learnerships, internships and the
Expanded Public Works Programme have made significant contributions to economic
empowerment and skills transfer to our youth.
Together with various other departments and the private sector, we will
continue to see how best we can broaden opportunities for the youth.
We have also accentuated the plight of groups such as women, children and
people with disabilities by establishing a ministry to deal with their issues
specifically.
Our esteemed youth;
Twelve years ago, Former President Nelson Mandela emphasised that the youth
must be provided with the opportunity to study and obtain the skills our
country sorely needs to build self-reliance and prevent a culture of
entitlement.
Government is rising to this challenge.
The Ministry of Higher Education is exploring options to broaden the access of
young people to tertiary institutions and to assist with funding.
Efforts are also underway to improve the Further Education and Training
Colleges in the country to train the youth in much-needed technical skills.
Adult Basic Education and Training will be reviewed to ensure that it responds
to the skills demand in the country and promotes vocational training.
Therefore it is proper that we have a common understanding that the leaders
that this country requires should first and foremost be educated.
Many countries have successfully overcome poverty and underdevelopment by
focusing intensely on education.
Education is seen as a great liberator, because when you take a child from a
poor household in Soweto and provide them with a quality education, you
liberate that child and their family.
The cycle of poverty is broken through education. It is for this reason that
our government has identified education as one of its key priorities.
We are working hard to ensure that all academically deserving students who
qualify to gain tertiary education are supported.
We must realise our determination that no child should be refused access to
institutions on the basis that they cannot afford it.
While our government has achieved a lot to promote access to education, we
need to improve the quality of education that our young people receive.
The youth should take advantage of existing opportunities to learn. Education
will provide the skills young people need to face the future and to give the
country a competitive advantage.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
True leaders seek ways to improve their country. Among other things, this
involves inculcating a culture of volunteerism among the youth.
Many young people turned out on 18 July this year to mark Madiba’s 91st
birthday by dedicating 67 minutes of their time to serve their communities.
Most of us, of all ages, in our various capacities, can afford to dedicate
more than 67 minutes of our time regularly to improve other people’s lives in
this country.
In the face of the many challenges with which we are confronted, we need to
ask ourselves whether we are doing everything correctly in the process of
developing and empowering our youth.
We count on you as youth managers to coach high school students to make the
right subject choices at schools. This country needs technical, scientific,
medical and business skills, among others.
When you interact with pupils, make them to be strongly aware of these
challenges and opportunities.
In this way, our youth will be armed with knowledge, a weapon with which they
can make a difference in their families and communities.
I therefore applaud the establishment of Youth Managers as a progressive move,
and congratulate you for achieving such a milestone.
While opportunities exist for our youth, it has proved to be difficult for
millions of them across the country, especially in rural areas, to take full
advantage of them.
Through the newly-formed National Youth Development Agency, we will work to
ensure equitable empowerment of our youth, and will assist them through the
agency to access funds.
This country still needs entrepreneurs in the small and medium enterprise
sector.
Our youth should take advantage of this niche by looking at the opportunities
provided by the Department of Trade and Industry, and other departments.
With unemployment largely affecting the youth, there must be constructive
measures of ensuring that their entrepreneurial abilities are enhanced, thus
reducing their dependence on government and the private sector for employment.
We will help youth to help themselves.
Ladies and gentlemen,
South Africa needs leaders who teach people that the success of any venture
should be measured by the impact it makes on the society.
Leaders who make impact are not the ones who indulge in material
self-enrichment and forget the bigger picture of improving our society.
We are also pleased that this organisation has been upfront in identifying the
gap that exists in the implementation of youth development measures.
We are therefore pleased that the learners from different schools attending
this summit have been accompanied by their teachers.
This sends a strong message that teachers are not alone in trying to guide our
pupils about their future.
Surely these young people need good role models who will serve as their
mentors and channel them in the right direction.
Many success stories needs to be told and the Youth Managers should link with
influential people to address pupils about existing opportunities. We need to
root out any apathy about education and stimulate enthusiasm among our pupils.
However, we also need to emphasise that nothing will be delivered on a silver
platter. Success requires hard work and dedication.
This is the spirit you must embrace to succeed in your own right – be it in
your education, career or business.
Among the current generation of youth, South Africa must produce individuals
who are sensitive to the needs of others.
We need courageous young people who will show leadership on how we should
tackle the problems that confront our country.
Government is grateful that the Youth Managers have already identified
community projects in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng that were not successful due to
problems of sustainability and financial efficiency.
We are confident that you will succeed in your attempt to revive these
projects and ensure that the youth and broader communities become beneficiaries.
Leaders also inspire following through hard work and integrity.
This country needs people who are morally upright, and who will discourage
pupils from abusing alcohol, drugs and other harmful substances.
It is also important that leaders cast their eyes farther in the future, and
constantly warn their followers about looming dangers.
I am talking here about the risky lives that the youth often lead,
particularly around HIV and AIDS.
With all rounded leadership, I am confident that South Africa will in the
coming years stand tall among the nations, for we would have made right
investment decision – in the development of our people.
I wish you well in your deliberations.
I thank you.
Sent via my BlackBerry Device from Vodacom - let your email find you!
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You are subscribed. This footer can help you.
Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this
message.
You can visit the group WEB SITE at
http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options,
pages, files and membership.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You
don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put
anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this
address (repeat): [email protected] .
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
