by Gugu Mgwebi

Within the South African historical, cultural, social and political context, the term “youth” is frequently categorised under a section of the population viewed as undisciplined, violent, underdeveloped and visionless.

This is despite the special role played by the youth in the liberation of this country from the shackles of undemocratic governance.

However, it is critical to re-examine the role of the current-generation youth in development and local governance.

Speaking at last year’s Youth Day, President Thabo Mbeki remarked: “… each succeeding generation faces the responsibility carefully to study social conditions, accordingly to set its own agenda, so that it can contribute to a better human condition. Our current generation of young people owes it to history to protect and champion the ideals of social justice and an abiding culture of human rights and humane, just and equitable social order”.

Today the youth is faced with a variety of overwhelming challenges requiring immediate attention. The nation as a whole has a responsibility to ensure that such struggles are tackled effectively. Young people alone cannot overcome the hurdles that they face without government’s purposeful support.

Fortunately, government appears to appreciate the need to extend such support to the youth. Interventions made by government include the development of a National Youth Development Policy Framework (2002-2007). This policy was aimed at helping young men and women to participate in development under the leadership of the National Youth Commission in association with government departments. The Youth Commission serves to highlight and monitor situations faced by the youth while co-ordinating and initiating the development of appropriate policies and strategies for youth development.

Other stakeholders to the commission’s initiatives are civil society organisations (NGOs and CBOs) as well as the three spheres of government.

In advancing youth development as being central to transformation, addressing underdevelopment and poverty in South Africa, the National Youth Commission has a responsibility to develop principles and guidelines and make recommendations to government regarding the implementation of an integrated national youth policy.

The commission is also charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating, directing and monitoring the implementation of such principles and guidelines as a matter of priority and promoting a uniformity of approach by all organs of state including provincial government to matters involving the youth.

The commission should also maintain a close liaison with institutes, bodies or authorities of a similar nature in order to foster common policies and practices and promote co-operation.

Other state-crafted interventions include the establishment of a National Youth Service Proud-to-Serve volunteer campaign, which was carried out during the vacation period in 2006-2007, resulting in over 9 000 youth volunteers.

The DPLG (Department of Local Government), in partnership with municipalities and other government organisations, assisted the campaign, which aimed to encourage young people to be more involved in self-empowering activities, giving them enabling tools to fight and cope with their struggles and the development of their communities.

The National Youth and Infrastructure Summit in partnership with the National Youth Commission, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and numerous organisations within the public and private sector, aim to engage and encourage young people to be active participants at local government level, ensuring delivery of infrastructure within their localities. Other objectives of the summit include:

To strengthen the understanding of the role of the youth in the decision-making processes such as IDP and local government participatory structures on infrastructure provisioning and service delivery;
To share information on how the youth could benefit from infrastructure provisions and service delivery.

Expected outcomes of the summit include:

• Enhanced youth participation in IDP processes;
• Better representation in local government participatory structures;
• Commitment from municipalities, provincial local government departments and SALGA to involve the youth in decision-making processes;
• A clearer understanding of service delivery, specifically infrastructure at municipal level;
• Mainstreaming youth development at local government level, fast-tracking the establishment of local youth units.

However, over and above the support extended by the state and communities, the youth have a responsibility to ensure that they have a good understanding of opportunities around them. They must strive to acquire good educational qualifications in order to position themselves strategically for gainful employment.

The need for young people to participate in all interventions such as the public policy process, the development of economic policies and development agendas such as poverty reduction strategies cannot be overemphasised.

Sources:

The presidency (16 June 2007), Mbeki: Youth Day Celebrations
www.dplg.gov.za National Youth Service Proud-to-Serve volunteer campaign
Dr Essop Pahad, Minister in the Presidency: National Youth Development Policy Framework 2002-2007.
Youth and economic development (An issues paper 26 October 2006), Fifth African Development Forum, Youth and leadership in the 21st century, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Local Government Transformer Apr/May 2008