The Oversight Committee In the Premier’s Office and the Legislature (OCPOL) met with the youths from different regions of Gauteng at the Johannesburg City Hall on 19 January 2023, in a bid to report back on issues and commitments made during the January 2022 Youth Workshop that addressed unemployment and poverty issues among the youth.
Welcoming the youth delegates including his committee members, Chairperson, Honourable Bonginkosi Dhlamini (insert above), opened the event and mentioned that the workshop will see the youth being presented with comprehensive feedbacks on the following issues, Gauteng Integrated Youth Development Strategy, The Youth War Room in reducing youth unemployment, Youth Advisory Panel on the progress made in empowering and addressing unemployment in the youth.
Gauteng Premier, Honourable Panyaza Lesufi congratulated Gauteng matriculants for scooping the second highest percentage nationally. “We want to commit ourselves as Gauteng government to offer four-year bursaries to all top-three students from each township based schools.” He added.
However, Lesufi warned communities to take a leading role in eliminating drugs alcohol abuse in communities.
OCPOL Committee member, Fasiha Hassan gave highlights on last years Youth Unemployment Workshop which was aimed at gathering issues young people are faced with daily including their suggested solutions to challenges.
The OCPOL committee tabled lasts year’s report at the Gauteng Legislature, bound by resolutions and acquired by government departments.
Unemployment Crisis
“Unemployment affects six or seven out of ten youths in this country particularly in Gauteng that are not in any form of education, jobs or any form of training,” Said Hassan. During last year’s workshop young people defined their resolutions from short, medium to long term solutions and actually wanted the youths to be on the forefront of any developmental programs.
“Some of the recommendations were community based projects run by young people and funded by government and must involve unemployed youths living in their communities rather than bringing outsiders.” She reiterated.
Open Job Opportunities
The workshop also discussed job opportunities on many unpopular sectors such as Pick it Up, Soup Kitchens, Renewable Energy, Agriculture, EPWP and Solar Power including Skills Development Opportunities. “
Accessibility of Information
– The youth also discussed how government departments needed to avail necessary information to the them via online platforms and their outreach programs to access information for their own benefit.
– Urged the Premiers office to ensure that Tshepo Youth Plug is accessible to all the youths including those in rural parts of Gauteng.
– The lack of opportunities for young people living with various disabilities who are struggling to gain access to TVET Colleges.
Feedback from Premier’s office
The Director General from the Premiers Office, Mosley Lefatola said due to last year’s workshop, the Premiers office has been able to appoint a civil society led Youth Advisory Panel (GYP) on 16 June 2022 consisting of 16 youths from all Gauteng regions. The panel’s responsibility is to lead the Gauteng Youth Integrated Development Strategy 2030 (GYIDS) and also provide oversight and advocacy including advise and recommendations to the Gauteng Premier on relevant developmental projects particularly for the youth.
He said the Gauteng Executive Council has signed delivery agreements with relevant departments to prioritise the youth. They have set targets with departments to prioritize townships and informal settlements to benefit the youth.
Quality Education Skills & Training
GYP panel member, Dimpho Likgeu said the unemployment youth lack quality education from primary, secondary and tertiary levels.”
To empower youth to be employment ready, the provincial education institutions needs to align with the current economic opportunities available in the province.”
The number of learners with disabilities must be extended. People living with disabilities also be given quality education from primary level up to tertiary.” She added.
Economic Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Job Creation
GYP panel member, Ndumiso Hadebe mentioned that they have observed developmental challenges among the youth with regards to access to information, communication, infrastructure and a technology gap between youths in rural Gauteng and those in urban parts of the province. Therefore, government departments must ensure that youths from rural parts of Gauteng access information especially about learnerships, jobs and entrepreneurship.
He added that the 30% set aside for youths in businesses need to boost youth business. “The youth must take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) so they are ready to export goods to other countries.”
The youth must also be equipped to deal with issues of mental health and well-being to be successful. “We have established Youth Units in all departments and municipalities for youth support.”
GYP Points of Action
GYP Chairperson, Oagile Louw mentioned that they have highlighted points of action that include launching the ‘Second Chance Program’, ‘War Room for Youth Unemployment’, and Quarterly Advisory Notes’ in order to advice government departments on areas of improvement.
He said they will develop a report on the ‘State of Youth’ in Gauteng and also develop the ‘Gauteng Youth Charter’ that will list the non-negotiables of young people towards the Gauteng government. “We have deployed panel members to different departments for monitoring and evaluation purposes, to ensure that government departments do not overlook prioritised youth needs.”
Tshepo Youth Plug
Speaking with regards to Tshepo Youth Plug, the Director General, Mosley Lefatola said that the GYP has criticised some of their programs and suggested a change to the ‘Tshepo 1Million’ name into ‘Tshepo Youth Plug’ in which the premier’s office considered.
“To date 98 young people received training in ICT including the 96 600 youths who were trained on various sets of skills development programmes. There are plans to initiate a Youth Department that will operate inside the Gauteng Department of Education and also provide university bursaries, work experience programmes that equip youths with necessary workplace skills. Gauteng youths are very entrepreneurial and techno savvy and due to this, they will focus on supporting youth owned business through the Central Supplier Database so that youth businesses can also be prioritised.
In addition, a total of 11 thousand jobs were created by different Gauteng departments. We are also focusing on Tshwane Special Economic Zone with a special focus on the Automotive Sector ensuring that small automotive businesses from around Tshwane townships are supported.” He concluded. Soweto Sunrise News
