Chairperson, the title for this youth debate can be considered tragically ironic. Youth should be at the centre of economic opportunities in South Africa. Instead they have to battle against all the biggest challenges facing our country. These include HIV, a failing education system and a youth unemployment rate that, at over 50%, is dangerously high.
This is a perfect storm of challenges and our government is not doing its jobs passing policies that can aid South Africa's youth in taking up economic opportunities in our country. The youth wage subsidy, which if it had been passed three years ago, as promised, would have created nearly 200 000 jobs for our young people who so desperately need a foot on the economic ladder.
It is a tragic betrayal of all the aspirations and dreams of our youth that the ANC has allowed itself to be hijacked by its alliance partner, Cosatu, which is only interested in looking after the interests of those who are already employed and do not want to support a policy that will help defuse the ticking time bomb of youth unemployment.
It is now time to act decisively and to finally put an end to this debate by implementing the youth employment tax incentive that was announced by Minister Gordhan in his Budget Speech this year.
I do not just want to refer to the government's depressing failure to offer any hope to our young generation, because I do not believe that this is the hopeless generation. Despite government's failures, some of our young people are still managing to take charge of their lives and turn hopeless situations into economic opportunities. At the anniversary of the Western Cape's 110% green initiative, which was held in Khayelitsha today, I was privileged to hear the inspirational story of Sizwe Nzima, who started the business Iyeza Express, delivering chronic medication to patients using bicycles.
At only 21 years of age, Sizwe Nzima is employing four people and has hugely ambitious plans for his business. In his speech he emphasised the importance of forming partnerships with government and other stakeholders. I hope other young South Africans are inspired by his example and can find economic opportunities to deliver on the needs of our people. [Applause.]