Nangamso Magadla

“Information is the currency of democracy” (Thomas Jefferson American 3rd US President (1801-09).

The South African government recognises the importance of bringing information to the people. Various programmes have been initiated in this regard, among them the Thusong Service Centres (formerly known as the Multi-Purpose Community Centres) and Youth Advisory Centres.

The Thusong Service Centre programme was initiated in 1999 as one of the primary vehicles for the implementation of development communication and information, and to integrate government services into primarily rural communities. This was done to address the historical, social and economic factors which limited access to information, services and participation by citizens, as they had to travel long distances to access these services. Government’s vision for Thusong Service Centres was to provide every South African with access to information and services within their place of residence and in each local municipality by 2014 with the purpose of improving the quality of their lives through integrated service delivery.

Thusong Service Centres link communities to the government’s distribution network of publications and products covering government programmes and activities. Community participation events, campaigns, exhibitions and road shows at Thusong Service Centres are meant to provide communities with information that they can use to improve their lives and develop their communities.
Some specific benefits to communities include the following:

Local economic development
Integrated service delivery in line with requirements of the Municipal System Act
Improvement in infrastructural development
Education and skills development, ABET, government programmes
Access to information and services closer to where people live
Access to technology: Telecentres provide access to Batho Pele Gateway and computer training; PIT machines
Platform for partnerships which empower communities through, for example, sustainable projects that encourage ownership and self-employment, as well as employment of others.

The Youth Advisory Centres (YACs) have been established by Umsobomvu Youth Fund. There are currently 111 YACs in the country.  The tasks of these centres are to:

• Provide outreach services to communities that can’t get to the centres, by taking career information, skills development and entrepreneurial advice to local schools in mobile YACs
• Form partnerships with local government, tribal authorities and community structures
• Empower young people in their communities
• Offer business skills like computer training and how to create business plans etc
• Give business support, preparing young people for the labour market and explaining how to take advantage of different career opportunities
• Help job-seekers with career guidance, psychometric testing, study strategies and life-skills, as well as information on trends in the workplace and the careers that are in demand
• Teach young people how to write a CV, how to impress in an interview and how to prepare for the working world
• Refer young people to the correct employment agencies and youth service providers, including those who offer help with job-seeking, funding, entrepreneurial support, information, inspiration and HIV/Aids materials
• • Provide information on scholarships, bursaries and other sources of funding, as well as contact details for educational institutions, internships, learnerships, volunteerships and community-service opportunities

There is, however, a need for more interventions to enable access to information to people residing in the rural areas. The Thusong Service Centres and the Youth Advisory Centres do not reach most South Africans.

The lack of accessible information plays a role in the lack of skills development in the country. There are many people in rural areas who have passed matric, but due to lack of funds they are not able to get tertiary education. The bursary, scholarship, learnership and internship opportunities are advertised in newspapers and websites that rural people do not have access to. These opportunities end up being taken up by people who may not necessarily need them.

According to the Umsobomvu Youth Fund 2002 research report, “the lack of knowledge and awareness of existing employment and funding opportunities amongst youth contributes to both the skills shortage and high rate of unemployment. According to the Youth 2000 report 73% of young people in South Africa are not aware of any employment or funding opportunities. Only 5% of young people have used related services provided by the government. A staggeringly high 76% of youth do not know about such services provided by the community in general (including NGOs and CBOs), and only 3% have used such services”.

Government needs to consider targeting its information at groups who might otherwise be neglected. There is a great need for information centres to be linked to schools so that learners are exposed to education opportunities through for example career expos, bursaries, internship programmes, learnership programmes, and so on.

This would not only benefit learners in rural areas, but the country as a whole. The youth would be provided with an opportunity to further their studies and become equipped with skills which the country greatly needs.

References

• An overview of Youth-Related Services in SA. Umsobomvu Youth Fund 2002 Research Report
• www.gcis.gov.za
• www.polity.org.za
• www.southafrica.info
• www.thinkexist.com
• www.thusong.gov.za
• www.youthportal.org.za

Local Government Transformer June-July 2008