Cutbacks at NYDA

THE National Youth Development Agency has embarked on staff retrenchments and restructuring processes, which is due to be completed at the end of the month.

“The NYDA has entered into a restructuring process which will see it reduce staff in accordance with section 189 of the Labour Relations Act,’’ Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela said yesterday. “This will aim to reduce the salary bill from the 2016/2017 financial year onward,’’ he said.

The restructuring was to ensure that more money was spent on youth development instead of staff.

The agency had managed to reduce its executive management team from nine to five. Senior managers were reduced from 31 to seven and managers from 68 to 33.

The salary bill amounted to R176 million, which was almost 39% of total income value.

“In an environment of austerity and budget cuts, this figure has become a major concern to us,” Manamela said. – ANA