Thinking out the box is key
When the phrase uzoyithola kanjani uhleli ekoneni was coined, it hit the nail on the head as it promoted an attitude of people getting up and doing things for themselves as opposed to waiting for government.
This is according to Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle who believes there should be a shift in people’s mentality if unemployment is to be effectively addressed.
While his administration has several youth development programmes as a way of empowering young people, Masualle is under no illusion that the thousands of unemployed youths will benefit from the skills development programmes.
Masualle said Bhisho would continue to play its bit in equipping youths with the life-changing skills that make them more employable.
But speaking at a youth development breakfast with Daily Dispatch editor-in-chief Sibusiso Ngalwa recently, the premier said what was needed the most was a change in how we do things.
“There was a slogan at some point developed, which I really thought captured the essence of what should be the driving inspiration within our young people and generally in society. That captions that said: uzoyithola kanjani uhleli ekoneni.
“I think firstly it enjoins us to get into action and I think we should disabuse ourselves of the more traditional ways that informed or underpinned us being sent to school.
“Abazali basithumela esikolweni: ‘hambofunda mntanam uzuyofumana umsebenzi’ [translated: our parents send us to school so that we will get jobs]. We grow up with that,” he said.
But the premier said until it was ingrained in the youth that they have to take their futures into their own hands.
“The truth is that we have got to change that mind-set [of getting an
What was needed the most was a change in how we do things
education so you can look for employment], we also have to be trained to create opportunities. “I don’t know who must create employment for us if we cannot do it and in our country, the demographics is what, nearly above 80% - there about Africans. And when you talk unemployment in greater numbers, naturally that is where it is reflected. “And those who are in the space of owning industries are a tiny minority. It cannot be that a minority provides for the majority in that sense,” the premier said. Masualle said for that to happen, youths have to grab opportunities presented to them with both hands.
“So, we, as part realising freedom in our country, we’ve got to take charge of our country and it’s got to be that we really are part of creating opportunities in our country. “So our training must reflect that and you can’t get it when you’re sitting idle hoping that somebody is going to do it for you,” he said. “It has to be that how do we adapt, how do we use the means at our disposal in a different way than the textbook says so.”