Mabuza rallies support in KwaDukuza
DEPUTY President David Mabuza said South Africa should emulate China and focus on entrepreneurship and innovation to reduce the country’s 27.5% unemployment rate.
In a meeting with the Indian community in KwaDukuza, on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast yesterday, he said that the Chinese did not just rely on employment, but also placed great emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation as they tried “everything under the sun” and worked hard.
“Unemployment is a problem that will haunt the ANC,” Mabuza said. He added that young people in South Africa were under the illusion that somebody would create jobs for them.
“No, you must stand up and create jobs, and we can support those initiatives. There are a number of financial institutions that can support you, and then the government can provide the market,” Mabuza said.
He added that the country’s TVET colleges were going some way towards addressing the country’s skills shortage because they provided skills such as electrical engineering and plumbing, which were essential in everyday community life.
“We must respond to the needs of our economy because the challenge of jobs still remains,” Mabuza said.
He added that the country had not
done well in terms of job creation over the past year and had shed many jobs as a result of the weak economy.
He maintained that 2018 had been a difficult year for the ANC when it came to forging unity, as it had been filled with differing opinions and people pulling in different directions.
“But I can tell you, standing here, that the dust has now settled and I can see far (ahead).
“There was a bit of dust in this province where we are, KZN, but the dust has settled. I see the ANC here more united than ever.
“Comrades, thank you for the efforts you have made towards unity, well done. Well done, don’t look back, and proceed,” Mabuza said.
He added that the leadership expected the ANC to become more united than it was last year because there were many hurdles for it to overcome.
“I don’t see us jumping this immediate hurdle, the elections, not united. And remember, for the ANC to proceed with all our dreams and our mission, we must cross this hurdle,” Mabuza said.
He added that the ANC needed to remain in power if it was to bring the kind of transformation that was envisioned.
Mabuza promised to soon revisit the community of KwaDukuza for a further engagement where he expected community members to come up with proposals for job creation.
Mabuza also lamented the spike in incidents of racism, saying these went against the non-racial founding principles of the ANC, referring in particular to the Clifton Beach incident that took place in December.