Increase Youth Affairs budget - indvuna
MBABANE - Mbabane East Indvuna Yenkundla Mefika Mavuso is pleading with government to increase the budget allocated to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs to cater for all unemployed young people.
Mavuso was speaking during the ongoing army recruitment exercise yesterday at Mbabane East Inkhundla.
He said the youth unemployment rate people was high.
The indvuna yenkhundla said it was because of that reason that government was expected to create job opportunities for all.
“Seeing about 300-400 young people here today to take part in the army recruitment process, really shows that they are in need of jobs. Government must do something about this matter. One can see that many young people are sitting at home because of unemployment. This is a challenge that our government must deal with and the only solution is to create enough job opportunities,” said Mavuso.
Talented
He further said since young people were talented in areas like music, sports, athletics and art, sufficient funds should be allocated to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs.
When Mavuso was asked whether they experienced any form of cheating as it was previously reported in some of the tinkhundla centres, where the recruitment exercise was conducted which led to some being disqualified, he said only a few such incidents were reported.
He said some people were turned back earlier after they were found to not belong in any of the four chiefdoms under Mbabane East Inkhundla. He, however, expressed a concern that it was sad to see other aspiring soldiers being turned back just because they were not from any chiefdom under Mbabane East, as they had also attended because they needed the jobs.
“Seeing young emaSwati being turned back even before they try their luck in the recruitment process is so sad. Personally, I cannot bear to watch that,” he said.
Aspiring soldiers came from chiefdoms like Msunduza, Sidwashini, Fonteyn and Mdzimba to try their luck.
Exercises
They started with the normal 3.2-kilometre race before proceeding to do other exercises. The top 30 were taken for the next exercises while those who failed watched on as those who made the cut took part in the second phase, which included exercises like jack-knifes, push-ups and sit-ups, which were all to be done under two minutes.
Chief Mashayentfonjeni Kunene of Mbabane East, said there was a need to ensure that young people came together and did something that would take their lives forward after failing to make it to the top six.
He had been asked about the plans they had for all young people who did not make it yesterday. He further encouraged them to not give up.
Phumlani Malindzisa, one of the winners who came second after the announcement of the final results, said he started training in January, preparing for this day. The Royal Eswatini Police
Service (REPS) athlete, said he was happy that he made it to the top six. He said he had been part of the REPS athletics team for two years.
“It has been two years since I joined the Royal Eswatini Police Service athletics team. I am happy that I have made it to the top six today,” he said.
THE MBABANE EAST INKHUNDLA TOP SIX:
Nkosinathi Nkambule
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Phumlani Malindzisa
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Mncedisi Dlamini
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Gcina Magongo
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Cebile Shongwe
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Ntombizile Bhembe
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