Keynote Address by His Excellency Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on the Occasion of the Commemoration of the 38th Anniversary of June 16 1976, Galeshewe, Northern Cape
16 June 2014
Programme Director,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Premier of the Northern Cape, Ms Sylvia Lucas,
ANC Provincial Chairperson, Mr John Block,
202 service important to herewith the Leadership of the Tripartite Alliance,
Members of the Provincial Executive,
NYDA leadership present,
Leaders of various youth formations,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We feel honoured to share this important day with the youth of Kimberley and the people of the Northern Cape.
We are here to celebrate together the youth of 1976, to commemorate the heroes who defined a new era in the history of the struggle; those young people who demonstrated to the apartheid government their complete rejection of racial oppression.
The Class of 1976 ignited widespread resistance around the country and exposed the brutality of the apartheid regime to the world.
The 1976 generation confronted a system that had been described by the nations of the world as a crime against humanity. Against all odds, the youth prevailed.
Thanks to their struggles, and the struggles of those who followed, today the youth of 2014 live in a country free of racial discrimination and oppression. They have rights and opportunities and dignity.
Yet, even though we may have defeated apartheid, the youth of today are still confronted by its legacy.
The youth are particularly vulnerable to unemployment, poverty, inequality and low skills levels.
More than a third of young South Africans in the labour force are unemployed. In every province, the unemployment rate among youth is more than double that of people over 35 years of age.
Youth unemployment is probably the single most critical challenge facing South Africa today.
If we can effectively address youth unemployment, not only will we lift millions of South Africans out of poverty, but we will also place our economy on a trajectory of sustainable, inclusive growth.
Compatriots,
We celebrate Youth Day this year just a few weeks after our fifth democratic administration took office.
During his inaugural address on 24 May, President Jacob Zuma said:
We have successfully completed the first phase of transformation.
Today marks the beginning of the second phase of our transition from apartheid to a national democratic society.
This second phase will involve the implementation of radical socio-economic transformation policies and programmes over the next five years.
He said that economic transformation must and will take centre-stage during this new term of government.
Youth must be at the centre of that economic transformation.
Even though youth economic participation has improved in absolute terms since 1994, and while over the last 20 years government has created many opportunities, the youth still face immense challenges.
We therefore need to focus on special measures to ensure that South Africa’s youth have access to training, work experience, jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
We have indeed made progress in a number of areas. Twice as many young people are in university today than in 1994. Nearly half of the six million work opportunities created through the public works and community work programmes were for young people.
In the last five years alone, R2.7 billion has been set aside for youth entrepreneurship finance and support. The amount available for student bursaries has doubled.
But we need to do more.
We need sharper focus, better implementation and greater urgency.
Compatriots,
One of the most important factors contributing to youth unemployment is the relatively low levels of skills among young people. This is perhaps the most devastating aspect of our apartheid inheritance.
That is why the National Development Plan has placed such emphasis on education and development, starting with early childhood development and the first one thousand days of life. Progress in these areas will have a profound impact on the prospects for the next generation and those that follow.
At the same time, we need to improve the prospects for today’s youth.
We need to develop the skills that the country needs now. The intake of students for post-school education will therefore be massively expanded over the next five years, with the aim of enrolling the majority of youth aged 18 to 23 years.
Government will direct contractors to help increase the number of engineers and artisans, project managers, machine operators and financial managers. State owned enterprises will need to increase the number of training opportunities offered to young South Africans.
Part of this effort includes the establishment of two new universities, in Mpumalanga and here in the Northern Cape.
We expect that the Sol Plaatje University will have a profound impact, ensuring that skills, knowledge and talent are retained in this province.
Our experience has shown that even with improved education, young people struggle to find work. In part, this is because employers are reluctant to hire people with little or no experience.
A major priority is therefore providing work experience for new entrants in the workforce. As a starting point, the public sector will increase the number of spaces for graduates to get experiential training.
The Declaration adopted at the Presidential Indaba on Youth Skills and Jobs earlier this year highlighted the issue of internship programmes in the state and the private sector. Within the state, there should be a number of internships, starting with 20 000 a year from 2014 and rising progressively to 60 000 a year by 2018, resulting in a total of 200 000 young people given an opportunity of first work experience through government, within the next five years. The private sector, should significantly scale up internships to 5 percent of total employment by 2019.
We are proceeding with the implementation of the youth employment incentive scheme. This aims to lower the cost and risk for firms to take on new entrants. We will continue to monitor its implementation to ensure that it does not result in the displacement of other workers.
A major driver of economic growth over the next five years – and beyond – is our investment in infrastructure development.
Over the last five years, we have invested R1 trillion in infrastructure. Over the next five years we expect to invest even more.
This programme has benefits that stretch across the economy. It is creating jobs, developing skills and stimulating manufacturing. It is improving people’s lives and boosting the country’s economic capacity.
While all this will benefit young people, we have, in addition, undertaken to set aside at least 60% of jobs on new infrastructure projects for young people. This will be combined with improved training by FET colleges to ensure that there are enough young people with the necessary skills.
Fellow South Africans,
It is on days like these that we are reminded that social change is not brought about by governments.
It is achieved by people, wherever they may find themselves, and by whatever means they may have at their disposal.
It is therefore critical that all stakeholders contribute to this effort.
It is for this reason that we last year welcomed the adoption by all key sectors of the Youth Employment Accord, and why we remain determined to work with our partners to see it implemented.
We need a coordinated and multi-pronged response to youth unemployment. It must be present in every policy discussion, in every law drafted, in every strategic plan developed. It must be on the agenda of every government department, every state agency, every corporate and every institution of learning.
At a social level, we have made a remarkable achievement in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Young people must continue with our campaign on prevention of new infections, treatment as well as care and support programmes, and move towards the goal of zero new infections as set by the UNAIDS programme.
South Africans are living longer and are healthier, mother to child transmission of HIV has dramatically decreased, more than 20 million people have taken the HIV test and the awareness levels are very high which helps to deal with the stigma. We urge you not to become complacent.
We also urge you to accelerate the fight against drug and substance abuse which are tearing some communities apart.
We need our young people to live healthy lifestyles free of these substances.
Fellow South Africans,
This year, Youth Month is being celebrated under the theme, ‘Youth Moving South Africa Forward’.
The many activities being undertaken across the country this month demonstrate that our youth have embraced this notion.
We welcome the work being done with respect to career guidance, entrepreneurship, health, the spiritual welfare of the youth, political and environmental awareness, social cohesion, and tackling drug and substance abuse.
This is all commendable. It shows the youth are taking responsibility for their own development.
In this regard, we also commend the youth of this province, especially the hundred volunteers who have launched an initiative to build 76 houses this month through the Youth Build Programme.
A tribute to the Class of 1976, these 76 houses will benefit the most vulnerable in society – the elderly, people with disabilities, and women and child-headed households.
We thank these volunteers and the stakeholders involved, including the Frances Baard District Municipality, the National Home Builders Registration Council, the National Youth Development Agency, the departments of Human Settlements and Energy, and others who made a contribution towards this effort.
This is true patriotism and a perfect example of how together we can move South Africa forward.
Together we must work hard to build a better, more caring, more equal and more prosperous nation.
We have achieved much in the last 20 year. Let us work together to achieve even more.
Together we move South Africa forward.
I thank you.
– By GCIS
