Nomfundo Khubone – DA KZN Youth Deputy Chairperson
The Deputy Chairperson of the DA Youth in KZN, Nomfundo Khubone, today met with the National Youth Development Agency’s (NYDA) senior manager, Mr Nhlanhla Shibe, at the organisation’s Durban offices. While the meeting was fruitful and enlightening, we were disappointed and concerned to find out that the NYDA only provides 60 grants in a financial year. All this in a province that receives well over 2000 applications annually.
What is even more disturbing is the massive backlog the agency accrues as a result of insufficient resources and human capital to process applications. It is clear that the agency is not capacitated to heed the call of the millions of young people who are trapped in unemployment and desperate for business support and assistance.
The DA thus further echoes the call for the agency to be scrapped and an alternative, more innovative and practical model is introduced. We cannot have an entity designed to empower young people in business that does the direct opposite. The meeting confirmed our continued concern that people in the rural parts of the province remain sidelined from such entities as accessibility for them is bleak.
The NYDA remains a liability for taxpayers as the bulk of the budget intended for youth empowerment is goes to administrative costs and staff salaries. The call is for an introduction of more innovative solutions to the challenges of youth unemployment and business development. The NYDA’s core focus is to introduce young people into the formal economy, create new and young CEO’s and fund projects to assist marginalized communities. It must not be is a piggy bank for ANC Youth Leagues connected elite and a namesake to muzzle our youth.
We will take active steps as the DA in Parliament to urgently look into the workings of the NYDA as the agency accounts to the National Assembly.
Young people must remain at the centre of taking our country forward. Active steps and plans must be cognisant of the fact that we are future leaders in waiting.
The fight for an inclusive and dynamic economy continues, and the Democratic Alliance will lead the change to build One South Africa For All.