Youth urged to get involved

ADOPT a spirit of patriotic involvement in your community, Chris Hani District Municipality integrated planning and economic development portfolio head, councillor Sibongile Mbotshane urged the youth on Monday.

Mbotshane, speaking during the end of the Youth Month programme at the district department of sport, recreation, arts and culture (Dsrac) offices, said today’s youth were often self-centered and did not become involved in their communities.

He said the most important tool to grow and develop the economy of the country was through education and that young people had to share such knowledge with their communities.

“Young people constitute the intelligence of the nation, but once they create a distance between themselves and the poor communities, they prevent development.”

Dsrac director Peter Mbebe said the event was inspired by the vision the department had for a winning and active community through sport, arts and culture.

“We want to take the lead by making the youth active in transforming the current workforce.”

He said the youth was brave in terms of sharing their ideas without fearing that they would fall out of favour.

This, he said, created an environment where employees were free to respect one another’s ideas.

Senior employees also had to teach young people that a job was not a right, but an honour.

“This means it can be taken away from them if they do not perform according to the demands of their positions.”