13 June 08

By Sipho None

YOUNG people must move away from being “a protesting youth to a youth that must make a better life for the people for Gauteng and the entire South Africa”.

These are the words of Gauteng MEC for finance and economic affairs, Paul Mashatile, who was speaking to young people at the Centenary Hall in Mogale City during the recent Gauteng Youth Imbizo.

Mashatile, who is also the provincial chairperson of the ANC, spoke about the effects of the Bantu education policies of the apartheid government. Bantu education was not meant to teach black people to be a thinking nation, but to be a nation that was always following orders.

The new dispensation had taught young people that they needed to grab opportunities with both hands.

“The effects of apartheid Bantu education on black people are enormous. This system of education was designed to make things difficult for black people. It intended to make us a nation that follows instructions from our superiors, and in 1976 young people took to the streets to say enough is enough,” Mashatile said, to much applause.

Opportunities
“Our hard-fought democracy has unveiled ample opportunities for you [youth] and I would urge you to liaise with the youth co-ordinators in your respective municipalities. The youth co-ordinators will assist you with programmes that they offer,” he said.

“The youth on the West Rand should come up with programmes that will engage other young people in the area for the betterment of the region and its people. Also we urge young people to be actively involved in schools.

“The level of crime in our schools is very high. It is the duty of young people to organise themselves and participate in campaigns against drug and substance abuse and crime.”

Mashatile said his department had set aside enough money for youth development. It was also working with other stakeholders to step up businesses that are run by young people.

“Currently we are working with the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller and other stakeholders such as the Gauteng Economic Development Agency to fund businesses that are run by young people. They will also help with business management skills.”

Youth Month
Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane, who is passionate about youth development and public participation, reminded young people about the essence of Youth Month.

“As you know the strategic objective of the ANC has always been and will continue to be to improve the lives of our people. We continuously create opportunities for the people of Mogale City to participate in the governance process.

“We always insist that they [people of Mogale City] cannot be relegated to curious by-standers. This is not a favour we are doing, it is our duty. It is time to put all hands on deck for accelerated youth development,” the mayor said.

“When Solomon Mahlangu, one young warrior of our heroic struggle for freedom, was about to be killed, he stated that his ‘blood will nourish the trees that will bear the fruits for freedom’. Our efforts today are about our continued drive to give real meaning to those words.”

Also attending the event were the Gauteng Youth Commission chief executive officer, Masabata Mutlaneng; the youth co-ordinator at the West Rand District Municipality, Maxwell Maxeke; and Dennis Mangope, the acting West Rand District Municipality executive mayor.

The three outlined programmes that are offered by their respective constituency offices, and urged young people to be on their toes and participate in all youth-related initiatives. Councillors from the three sister municipalities on the West Rand and senor officials from Mashatile’s office also attended.

Young people were able to ask questions of Mashatile and the other dignitaries. These ranged from the non-availability of opportunities and lack of support from the local municipalities for businesses run by young people, to lack of transparency on youth development programmes.

Mashatile nipped the complaints of the rowdy youth in the bud, and asked them to graduate from a protesting youth and to develop into a youth that would become entrepreneurs and build South Africa.