This year (2016) marks 40 years since young people demonstrated against Afrikaans as a compulsory medium of instruction at schools. Forming part of the agenda was also the resistance against the Bantu Education Act introduced by the Apartheid government in 1953. Although this Act made it easier for more children to attend school in some areas, there was a great deal of discontent about the lack of facilities and the quality of education provided particularly to black children. The uprising which started in South Western Township (Soweto) spread countrywide profoundly thus, changing the socio-political landscape in SA.
However, since the dawn of democracy, a lot has changed to better the lives of many South Africans, particularly for young people. Although this maybe the case, many of these young people are still more vulnerable to some inherited and new challenges. Therefore, the question is, to what extent has economic transformation benefited young people across different societies and how this can be sustained for generations to come?
Democracy has offered many young people opportunities while at the same time exposing them to many challenges. Many policies have been drafted and later implemented to address challenges faced by young people in this country. One of these policies include but not limited to, the National Youth Policy 2020 which seeks to prioritize; (1) economic participation and transformation, (2) skills development, (3) promote less risky behavior and (4) improve health. However, the implementation and effectiveness of these policies across different societies remains questionable.
Currently in South Africa, a blanket approach to past and current policies is being used to remedy challenges being experienced in different regions within SA. As a result, these policies at times do not yield the expected outcomes. Challenges facing the youth of SA are the same but, the extremity in which these challenges are faced differ from one region to another. For example, the complexity of some challenges in reality are not the same for young people living in Motherwell, Mdantsane (townships) or in Xholobeni (deep rural village from Bizana), this is due to underlying factors informed by varying demographics. Be that as it may, these challenges are still being addressed by a “blanket approach” policy. Therefore, the question then begs, how can SA better implement the objectives of their policies to ensure more impactful results are yielded in both rural and urban areas?
Against the backdrop of the unemployment challenge, which according to Forbes report shows SA had the highest unemployment rate (25.5%) in the world in 2015 and currently (first quarter of 2016), 26.7% of South Africans remain unemployed while a total of 66% young people are being labeled as unemployable due to lack of required skills and inexperience. However, organisations like the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) are among some of the key role players that continue to contribute toward: (1) economic participation and transformation, (2) skills development through programmes aimed at equipping young people with skills and experience through:
Internship Programme
In the 2014/15 FY the CDC enrolled a total of 185 new graduates into CDC’s 18-month internship programme. 166 young people in the Eastern Cape and 19 in KwaZulu-Natal benefitted from this initiative while 68 were placed into permanent employment within the organisation.
The CDC plays a pivotal role in the development of young people in the EC and country at large. Through a variety of training and development initiatives, the CDC is able to position aspiring professionals favorably in the job market. For example, the 18-month internship programme offers graduates on-the-job-training by linking them with mentors who have vast experience in their respective disciplines.
Additionally, as part of providing an environment conducive for growth and development for interns, a total of 19 graduate trainees benefitted from the Business Analysis and Systems Analysis programme offered by the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. While in the past financial year, 70 interns benefitted from Prince 2 Project Management training.
Coega additionally offers interns the opportunity to obtain their driver’s licences through the Coega flagship driver training programme. More than 60 interns have obtained their licenses through this initiative. .
Maths & Science Programme
The Maths and Science Programme is one of the CDC’s CSI programmes largely contributing to the community in terms of education, skills development. It has yielded more learners undertaking studies in Science, Engineering and Technology, thereby reducing the gap between supply and demand of critical and scarce skills. This programme has taken learners who had given up on gaining university entrance due to poor results and given them a second chance to improve their results and thereby increasing their chances of a better future. The programme has yielded impressive results for 2015 with a 98% pass rate achieved for both Maths and Physical Science.
Driver Training Programme
The Driver Training Programme continues to give unemployed youth between the ages of 18-35 years much needed skills to improve their chances of being absorbed in the job market. In the FY2015/16 685 beneficiaries obtained their drivers licenses. In addition, the flagship programme managed to assist 2349 beneficiaries to obtain their learners licenses, while a further 1675 beneficiaries benefitted from the driver training using the simulator centre.
Skills Development Centre
The Skills Development Centre (SDC) was set up to produce skilled people to take up positions arising mainly from CDC’s projects and various infrastructure built programmes where CDC is the implementing agent. Currently, a large number of young people benefit from accredited trainings, learnerships, apprenticeships, technical skill courses and internships.
The courses offered by SDC have been accredited by various entities, namely: Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA), Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MerSETA) and Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) through the National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB)
Since 2012, the CDC has successfully trained over 6128 young people in the following trades: Wielding, Mechatronics, Electrical (construction and industrial), Plumbing and more.
Therefore, in consolidating youth initiatives that will enhance the capabilities of young people to transform the economy and society, the South African business community and government institutions must continue to work together to ensure that the proposed interventions of the National Youth Policy are realised. Furthermore, full participation by youth and implementation of youth programmes at a local/ward level would be beneficial to the majority of young people particularly in rural based areas.
Alan Straton
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