Pule waga Mabe
Observers and role players within the youth sector expect the National Youth Commission (NYC) to be addressing issues of youth unemployment, HIV/Aids and apathy. But there is little sign of any direct action at the commission’s plush offices, where more than three directorates deal with policy, communications and finance.
Its electro-magnetic doors must be costly to maintain, but with the more than R10-million annual budget things seem much easier for the “lucky few” in the commission.
During 1999 and last year NYC executives used more than R1,4-million on unauthorised expenditure and then improperly promoted some of their members. The R1,4-million was used to pay service providers, without following the government’s tendering procedures. The commission said it was not aware that it had to follow these procedures and vowed it would not happen again.
The youth are expecting the commission to provide optimal access to economic, political and social opportunities, but the NYC says this is unlikely to happen as its current mandate does not allow direct implementation of projects. It is statements such as this that have attracted howls of outrage and attacks from opposition parties.
The NYC has spent the past few years defending itself and accusing its critics of failing to read its mandate. The government has echoed this view and publicly declared its support for the commission.
Minister in the Office of the President Essop Pahad said it is not the commission’s responsibility to organise young people. Instead, it is a challenge to all political structures to organise their youth.
However, youth organisations disagree with this view. They say the NYC is too preoccupied with periodic functions, such as June 16 celebrations, and fails to develop a clear youth development programme.
The Azanian Youth Organisation (Azayo), the youth wing of the Azanian People’s Organisation, says the commission has failed to address issues affecting young people in the country.
“They must stop using money for unnecessary programmes and start channelling their resources to the upliftment of the poor and ultimately job creation for the majority of young South Africans,” says Azayo president Azwi Tshitanganano.
The president of the Pan Africanist Youth Congress (Payco), Cameroon Tabane, says: “The commission is failing to work on political education programmes.”
Instead of “being reflective of a few individuals empowering themselves, the youth commission should develop programmes aimed at reviving interest and participation among young people”, says Tabane.
Payco says the commission is largely to blame for youth apathy in the country. However, other NYC critics say organisations such as Payco and Azayo are also to blame for the lack of vibrant programmes to attract young people.
Tshitanganano acknowledged his organisation’s failure in this regard. “We must come together as youth formations and put our political and ideological allegiances aside and try to develop solutions to problems facing young people in the country.”
Jabu Mbalula is the new chairperson of the NYC. His predecessor Mahlengi Bengu spent a lot of her time trying to justify her high salary and defending the commission’s efforts to empower the youth.
Under Bengu the commission concentrated on developing youth policy, and the community service scheme for higher education and further education students, young offenders and unemployed youth.
Mbalula highlights these efforts as key achievements of the commission. However, he says, the commission needs to change the public perceptions and the apathetic attitude of the youth.
Mbalula said the core challenge facing the NYC is to communicate the business of the commission to a majority of young South Africans. “When people discuss the commission their major focus is on salaries for commissioners.”
This, he said, “is one of the reasons young people find it unnecessary to participate or learn more about programmes of the commission. Witch hunters should be informed that 50% of their projects are donor funded.
“People should start counting our achievements, like the establishment of a youth desk in various transitional local councils, rather than concentrate on the negative.”
The commission, said Mbalula, has provided a comprehensive national framework of all government agencies and departments as well as civil society and the private sector through the National Youth Policy.
“One of our successes is the establishment of an inter-departmental committee on youth affairs to coordinate youth programmes of 38 government departments in an integrated manner. The NYC has also through a legislative process assisted in the formulation of a white paper on the National Youth Service,” he said.