During the apartheid era South African youth played an influential role in the liberation of the country. But the sense of purpose shown by that generation seems to have faded into apathy in their modern counterparts.
Centre stage in today’s government youth development efforts are the National Youth Commission (NYC) and Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF). The NYC, established in 1996, is allocated R16-million annually and its business is stated as being ‘developing a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges facing young people in South Africa”.
The UYF was formed in 2001 with a lump sum of R1-billion to be invested over five years in the youth sector.
Aubrey Matsila, representative of the UYF, says ‘Thus far 13 200 young people have benefited from our various programmes. We have already committed R470-million to different programmes and projects that vary from information and counselling to skills development and entrepreneurship.”
While these structures are founded on enviable policies, there is a widespread perception that they are falling down in implementation. A lack of practical action, and insufficient communication and consultation with grass-roots youth formations, are some of the criticisms levelled at the NYC and UYF.
Lesley Chiloane is one such disaffected youth worker from Meadowlands, Soweto: ‘The government has so far, through its youth structures, failed to acknowledge and recognise youth workers who should logically form an important part of youth development.”
With young people currently constituting 70% of the unemployed in South Africa, ‘Job creation is the challenge the entire youth sector should start paying attention to,” Chiloane says.
Manny da Camara, Member of Parliament and the Democratic Alliance’s youth spokesperson, agrees. ‘Government youth structures should be able to create opportunities that are known by all unemployed youth. There should be opportunities for jobs, skills development and transfer and support youth in taking advantage of all these,” da Camara says.
Da Camara says current government youth structures are driven by ideology rather than by practical good sense. He says too much emphasis has been put on bureaucracy and more effort is invested in setting up committees and commissions than in taking effective action towards youth development.
The Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade (IFPYB) says it was opposed to the establishment of the NYC from the outset, supporting instead the idea of a government youth ministry. Mntomuhle Khawula, IFPYB’s chairperson, says: ‘We will start saying the government is serious about youth development the moment is establishes a youth ministry. The size, capacity and the work of the NYC so far convinces us that it is not the solution to addressing the current worrying matters affecting young people.”
Political and other differences in the sector are undermining effective action. Says Molefi Mataboge, programme manager of the South African Association of Youth Clubs, ‘Youth development is working, but its impact is very limited. Every youth worker is taking a different direction on issues. We should be able to sit down together and set priorities for the next five years.”
Some headway seems to have been made in plotting a more united way forward for youth development. Monde Mkalipi, the NYC’s director of communications, says the recently cabinet-approved National Youth Service Policy framework will go a long way to serving the interests of youth more effectively. The implementation of the National Youth Service Programme (NYSP) is to take place under the leadership of the NYC.
Says Matsila, ‘The NYSP should be linked to other initiatives which promote development, such as a public works programme, infrastructure development and other relief funds, and accordingly be utilised as one of the key delivery mechanisms on youth development. Sufficient resources should be allocated and both the government and business should support the programme”.
But it seems drastic action is needed soon if some of the more cynical views are going to be addressed. Mncedisi Ntlombeni, Pan Africanist Student Organisation’s president, does not mince his words: ‘The NYC is not doing justice to the youth of South Africa — they are just looking at enriching themselves. There are burning issues like the abuse of drugs and alcohol, illegal guns and teenage pregnancy that affects the youth, and the NYC has failed to address these issues.”
Youth organisations in SA
by Reggy Moalusi
National Youth Commission
Set up by the government to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges facing young people in South Africa.
Tel: (012) 325-3702
Umsobomvu Youth Fund
Established by government to ensure economic participation by the youth.
Tel: (011) 805-9701
South African Youth Council
The organisation is an autonomous, non-partisan body representing youth in civil society.
Tel: (011) 331-0078
Sonlife
The organisation works with schools, the church and the community to provide leadership training for the youth who then help in uplifting social programmes.
Tel: (011) 674-4104
South African Association of Youth Clubs
The association’s aims are to build capacity among youth organisations. It also focuses on leadership development.
Tel: (011) 674-5405
Youth Development Trust (YDT)
YDT pursues a strategy of proactive intervention, which involves the design and development of projects aimed at enhancing the capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of youth focused organisations.
Tel: (011) 838-4531/2/3
Youth Development Network
Is comprised of seven youth organisations established nationally. Its purpose it to build the youth sector so that it can deliver quality and effective youth development programmes like skills training, youth entrepreneurship and community development with a measurable impact.
Tel: (011) 836-2172
Youth For Understanding
This is a private, non-profit educational organisation dedicated to promoting international understanding and world peace through exchange
programmes for high school students.
Tel: (021) 946-3773/4/5
Youth Enterprise Society
Aims to empower young
people, through enterprise, to become masters of their own destinies.
Tel: (058) 623-0104/
(058) 623-0123/
(058) 623-0649
South African Student Press Union (Saspu)
A student and youth media organisation, Saspu participates in the process of policy design for communications-related matters particularly involving student media. It also
organises developmental
training for students.
Tel: 072-256-0375