Agency wants a 40% youth employment quota
The National Youth Development Agency’s (NYDA) new chairperson, Sifiso Mtsweni, wants the government to introduce a youth employment quota of 40% in the private sector and public entities.
Recent figures released by Statistics SA show that the youth unemployment rate increased by 1.6% to 38.6% in the first quarter of this year. Mtsweni says reducing the high level of youth unemployment will be one of his key priorities during his three-year term in office.
The youth agency will also suggest the government introduce harsh measures — including the withdrawal of trading licences — if companies fail to comply with the proposed quota system.
“In a population that is largely made up of the youth, the lack of urgency with regards to tackling youth unemployment is worrying. That is why we are now advocating for a more radical approach,” Mtsweni told the Mail & Guardian this week.
The 32-year-old Mtsweni, who is also a national executive committee member in the ANC Youth League, was last month appointed to the post by President Jacob Zuma.
The position was previously held by Young Communist League chairperson Yershen Pillay, who ensured that the agency received a clean audit in the past financial year — for the first time in many years.
The young communists have expressed unhappiness at Zuma not reappointing Pillay for another term.
Before Pillay’s time, the youth development agency was always in the news for all the wrong reasons. It reportedly misused public funds during the chaotic youth festival held in Pretoria in 2011 that cost R106-million.
According to reports, the development agency spent millions of rands budgeted for the youth festival on balloons, confetti, musicians, poets, backpacks, caps, golf shirts and bottled water.
Currently, the development agency is allocated a budget of R430-million, which Mtsweni believes is too little.
He said the development agency was planning to establish a separate fund in the hope of raising R1-billion to assist emerging young entrepreneurs throughout the country.
The development agency, Mtsweni said, would also introduce grants aimed at developing skills among the youth.
“The NYDA already supports entrepreneurs through various funds that have historically produced a lot of success stories. However, even with the great work done by the agency so far, this cannot be said to be enough and that is why we have already started the process of lobbying and advocating for the establishment of an additional, separate fund where we are looking to raise about R1-billion to assist upcoming entrepreneurs,” Mtsweni said.