Programme Director
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Mayors and councilors present
Government officials
Youth formations
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am greatly pleased to join you here today, as we honour the heroic young women and men who sacrificed life and limb to ensure that we all have the freedom that we enjoy and at times dishonour. This year marks 42 years since the youth uprisings in 1976; in a year that we commemorate the centenary celebrations of the late Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu. We celebrate youth month under the theme, “ Live the legacy: Towards a socio-economically empowered youth”. 

The class of 1976 reshaped the course of history, they demonstrated their unwavering commitment for a just South Africa and therefore we need to preserve their legacy by taking advantage of the opportunities provided by Government. As we gather here today, I am reminded of the words of the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Anan, when he remarked that, “You are never too young to lead and you should never doubt your capacity to triumph where others have not.”

Ladies and gentlemen:

Just like we salute the generation of 1976 and all other generations of youth leaders who successfully mobilized against the Apartheid regime, we must also salute our very own young leaders; leaders like Cassius Plaatjies. Earlier this morning, we had an opportunity to honour the life of Cassius Plaatjies, a young lion and leader of the youth in Postmasburg. This was done by unveiling a tombstone in his honour. In doing so, we wish to thank the late Cassius for the role that he played as a young person in building a Northern Cape that truly belongs to all who live in it. As a tribute to his memory, I wish to encourage young people to do the same.

Dames en Here:

Ons is duidelik bewus daarvan dat die jeug van vandag gekonfronteer word met n magdom van uitdagings wat verskillend en meer kompleks is wat die jeug van gister mee te doen gehad het. Waar die jeug van vroeër hulle lewe neergelê het om te verseker dat ons, ek en u, die vryhede en geleenthede geniet wat hulle ontneem was; word ons jongmense van vandag  in die gesig gestaar deur ontwikkelings, sosiale en ekonomiese uitdagings wat ‘n verskillende benadering verg.  

In addressing these socio-economic challenges, Government requires an effective strategy by working together with the youth towards radical economic transformation by focusing more on closing the gap between the rich and poor. This can be done by building a more equitable growth path as outlined in the National Development Plan. Guided by the National Development Plan’s Vision 2030, which asserts that South Africa has an urbanising, youthful population, presents an opportunity to boost economic growth, increase employment and reduce poverty. The Northern Cape Provincial Administration therefore remains committed to providing young people with broader opportunities; and strengthening youth service programmes. 
Important for us as the African National Congress led Government of the Northern Cape is to continuously put in place programmes that prepare young people for that transition from adolescence to adulthood. The development of young people is therefore aligned to Governments’ approach to addressing poverty and underdevelopment, as well as a mechanism for promotion of social adjustment, social cohesion, and economic emancipation. This will be done through sustainable policies and programmes that seek to bring about tangible improvements in the quality of the lives of the youth.

Ladies and gentlemen:

Provincial government departments are in the process of presenting their budget speeches and it is our responsibility to ensure that the empowerment of young people finds expression in the plans of all departments. Key to these is the fact that Government will create more space, opportunity and support in order to allow young people to access quality education but also create skills development programmes, which will enhance employment of young people and also create opportunities for self-employment. 
Of concern is the fact that Government spends a substantial amount of money on programmes aimed at young people, however these programmes sometimes remain ineffective and with little or no impact.  This led to us developing an integrated youth development strategy for the Province.  This will be the first such strategy for the province, and importantly, it will ensure that our interventions are targeted and informed by the needs of young people.  Through this strategy, we will also be in a position to ensure that we address the strategic challenges facing our young people in a coordinated and integrated manner.  

In aligning ourselves to the President’s commitment of moving the youth to the centre of our economic agenda in his address to the nation this year, the province has committed through partnerships with SETAs to secure work placement opportunities for 1000 learners and graduates from Universities, TVET Colleges, Community Colleges and private institutions for this financial year. This commitment was sealed through the signing of a pledge by skills development stakeholders during a skills development roundtable held last year. 

The province also continues to make financial resources available to students in need through the provision of bursaries. In the last financial year a total exceeding 9 000 bursaries were awarded in the province by Government, SETA’s and the Premier’s Trust Fund, to the youth in the Province. Through our partnership with the Mine Managers Forum, we have received funding in excess of half a million rand for learners at universities for this current financial year.

Ladies and gentlemen:

I mention but some of the interventions that this Administration is implementing and will continue to upscale in order ensure that the youth of today enjoy the freedom fought for by the youth of 1976.  This will ensure that the legacy of the youth of 1976 remains engraved in our hearts and minds.  

We should also bear in mind that it remains our collective responsibility as government, private sector and civil society to address the challenges facing our young people. For this to happen, we must work together to create community infrastructure that will respond to the developmental challenges of our young people.  
Many of our young people leave the province in search of developmental opportunities. Our role is therefore to ensure that we create space and opportunity for young people to develop their untapped potential and help us achieve radical economic transformation.

Dames en Here:

My kernboodskap aan u vandag is om hierdie geleenthede met altwee hande aan te gryp. Aan die einde van die dag sal jou vordering afhang van hoe jy jouself sal motiveer om nie toe te laat dat enigiets jou sal laat afwyk van die doel wat jy vir jou daar gestel het nie. Invloede soos drank en dwelm misbruik, tiener swangerskappe, geweld in enige vorm is faktore wat negatief sal inwerk op jou pad na roem en sukses. Die pad na ‘n beter lewe verg harde werk. Dit verg dissipline, toewyding en ywer. Dit vereis ook geduld en verantwoordelikheid. Daar is beslis geen ander manier.

Ek doen ‘n ernstige beroep op julle om verantwoordelikheid te neem vir julle toekoms en nie net vir jul toekoms, maar vir die toekoms van hierdie wonderlike land van ons. Die jeug is dit aan ons voorouers en almal wat hul lewens neergelê het om die vryheid van ons almal te verseker, verskuldig. Ons nasionale krises vandag is die wrede aanslag op ons jeug deur dwelmhandelaars en ander negatiewe invloede van die samelewing. Ek daag julle dus uit om uit te stuig bo dit wat julle tans vashou en die ketting van hopeloosheid te verbreek. Dit is moontlik en ek is beslis postief oor die land in die hande van ons leiers van vandag en môre. 

Ladies and gentlemen:

We need responsible youth to help build this country.  In that regard the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will be hosting the 7th Youth Camp which focuses on young people in fostering constitutional values and fostering a social compact among young people. Through this programme they will promote active citizenry as well as allegiance and patronage to the South African Constitution, loyalty to South Africa and responsible citizenship. 
As the young people of Tsantsabane you must ensure that the youth of this area are beneficiaries of this programme as well as youth development initiatives of all other departments

As I conclude, I wish to remind you once again that the youth form the largest cohort of the population and thus it would be a disservice for the Provincial Government not to place the youth at the top of the Provincial Agenda. The youth will continue to be at the epicenter of the economic agenda of our beautiful Province. All of us must therefore tap into our South African consciousness above our ideological differences to intervene in what confronts all of us. Poverty and unemployment is a South African challenge that requires all of us to put our hands on deck to find solutions for it. Working together, I am convinced; we will successfully champion youth development and move South Africa forward.

Let us use the Youth Month to honour the sacrifices and contributions of Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu towards a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa. 

I thank you!