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Do not ignore the youth, municipalities told
8 November 2006 By Sipho None and Clifford Mogotsi YOUNG people need to be included in the economy and the role they play in economic development needs to be recognised. This is according to Lebogang Maile, the chairperson of the Gauteng Youth Commission (GYC), who called upon West Rand executive mayors and their respective mayoral committees to acknowledge the efforts and contributions made by young people. He was speaking at a Youth Imbizo at the Munsieville Sport Complex on Saturday, 4 November. Coinciding with National Imbizo Focus Week, the gathering was attended by provincial commissioners, politicians and young residents of Mogale. Maile is the former leader of the Congress of South African Students, or Cosas. He made his intentions clear, sending a message to the "powers that be" that young people needed to be included in the economic mainstream of the country and the region. The youth commission took the initiative in setting the tone for local government "head honchos" to take cognisance of the role young people played in the economic development of the country and the West Rand. Maile said the challenges facing young people were increasingly being ignored and the youth commission existed to focus on such inequities. He spoke about these challenges and other issues hampering progress for the youth. "Despite the challenges facing young people there are other issues that young people are unable to reach despite being afforded the necessary platforms. There are issues such as the deliberate stonewalling of information about programmes and services that the government is providing for young people," Maile said. "In most cases you'll find that officials are intentionally denying young people information to spite them. "We have various imbizos in other areas to address young people about the services that the government is providing that are geared towards economic development. However, we have realised that young people have been marginalised big time, and it is necessary that our government takes charge in involving young people in processes that are meant for youth development." Maile said young people should form co-operatives and become involved in municipalities' economic development. He cited the preferential procurement policy as one of the key issues that should benefit young people. "While we call upon our mayors and mayoral committees to involve young people in their programmes, we also want to send a strong message to the tender committees such as the supply chain management to come to the party in involving young people in the mainstream economic processes. "What we are saying is that the tender process should not leave young people outside. We want to see an amendment to the preferential procurement policy so that the supply chain management of municipalities should start allocating points to businesses and companies that have managers and are owned by young people," he said, adding that companies driven by young people should be given priority. The preferential procurement policy is a government policy regarding service provision in tenders. In December the GYC will have a Youth Fair where young people will be given a platform to voice their concerns. The date and venue is still to be confirmed. The imbizo was to have been addressed by finance and economic affairs MEC Paul Mashatile. Speaking on his behalf, Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Seerane said the youth commission had been appointed to play a role in implementing and promoting youth development in the province and to ensure that young people took their rightful place. "The Gauteng Youth Commission was appointed earlier this year by the premier and is the vehicle for young people to play a key role in the province. Promoting youth job creation and other economic opportunities remain a key focus. "The provincial government has internship and learnership programmes to offer young people and graduates the needed work experience and skills. These are regularly advertised and young people can participate in this programme. This is part of the government's wider initiative to promote learnerships throughout the economy," Seerane said. Maile added that the youth commission had no illusions about the challenges facing young people, including young people in conflict with the law. The GYC would adopt a broad approach to such challenges, including community participation and supporting government programmes to alleviate poverty. One of the audience members, Boitumelo Sibeko, a learner at Thuto Lefa School, said the youth gathering was a good initiative to assist young people in changing their bad lifestyles. "This is one of the best ways of helping us in changing our terrible lifestyles. As we speak now it is Saturday and some of these young people here could have been involved in activities such as crime and drugs," Sibeko said. "So this event is benefiting us a lot and it would help us to have more information on community development and other issues." The GYC was established after a commitment was made by Premier Mbhazima Shilowa to the province's young citizens. It is a statutory body in line with the Gauteng Youth Commission Act. Its main aim is to monitor the government on youth programmes and policies. After the speeches it was time for some entertainment from musician Kelly Khumalo, who got the crowd rocking, and YFM DJ Shabba.
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Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane addresses youth of Munsieville.
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