Speaker, hon President, hon Deputy President, hon Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends, throughout the history of the struggle of the ANC, the ANC has always understood that, in the words of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, "a nation that does not nurture its youth does not deserve its future."
In its governing policy document, "Ready to Govern" 1992, the ANC expressed its vision for the youth of South Africa when it said:
The ANC believes that society has a responsibility to develop and nurture its youth, to allow them to reach their full potential in order to make a meaningful contribution as individuals and as members of society. Their resourcefulness, energy and enthusiasm must be harnessed to allow them to play their meaningful role in our country.
As we observe the 37th anniversary of the June 16 Uprisings, we cannot fail to take stock of the progress that we have made since 1994 to better the lives of young people. The ANC-led government has made a lot of progress to improve the lives of young people. Government has made it possible for young people to own their own businesses, to occupy senior positions in government, and many are public representatives in all spheres of government.
Our historic document, "Ready to Govern", enjoins us to address the problems faced by the youth who have been directly marginalised by apartheid, with particular emphasis on the immediate challenges of education, unemployment and violence. Under your stewardship, hon President, we have set in place autonomous, broad and representative youth structures to co-ordinate and develop youth activities.
In the 2004 election manifesto, the ANC committed itself to -
... launch a much larger national youth service programme and a new national youth development agency which will be linked to skills development opportunities and building decent work opportunities for young people.
In line with that commitment, the ANC-led government established the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, which will be linked to skills development opportunities and building decent work opportunities for the young people of South Africa.
The mandate of the National Youth Development Agency is to advance youth development through guidance to and support of initiatives across sectors of society and spheres of government to embark on initiatives that seek to advance the economic development of young people, and to develop and co- ordinate the implementation of the Integrated Youth Development Plan and Strategy for the country. The National Youth Development Agency is a nonpartisan organisation in which youth of many political parties participate. There is a national board appointed by the President, and that board appoints provincial boards. However, the DA prevented its member from being part of the Western Cape NYDA provincial board as its deputy chairperson.
So, in other words, the DA is paying lip service when it says it wants government to create jobs for young people. Of course, the board would never have allowed a rent-a-crowd with blue shirts to take a senseless march to Cosatu House. Many municipalities in the country have youth directorates except the Western Cape's DA-controlled municipalities. Now how do we mainstream youth jobs in the Western Cape? [Interjections.] The DA is not serious about sustainable job creation. [Applause.] [Interjections.] It has no clear policies to improve the lives of the poor. [Interjections.]
The ANC understands the need for a multifaceted strategy and the critical importance of principled engagement in the development of solutions to the unemployment challenge. [Interjections.] I wish you would listen!