East London - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is concerned that Eastern Cape youth don't know much about the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), a body put in place to help them.
After listening to complaints about a number of problems facing the youth in the province, Motlanthe told a group of young people from the province in the East London city hall on Wednesday that the NYDA had to look into more ways of reaching its target.
"We all know that the Eastern Cape is a mostly rural province. A lot of youth don't have access to internet. A more direct approach should be used to inform the people about the NYDA and what its purpose is," said Motlanthe.
He was joined on stage by Premier Noxolo Kiviet and Higher Education Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize to face questions and complaints from the youth, representing each district municipally in the province.
There were also youth representatives from the business sector, religious groups, the disabled and unemployed.
NYDA provincial chief executive, Ayanda Matiti, made reference to 33 NYDA youth advisory offices throughout the province set up to help the youth, which prompted a young man from Duncan Village, outside East London, to stand up and angrily refute Matiti's claim, saying even though there was an office in his area, no progress was being made.
Matiti said the agency struggled to assist all those that approached them for assistance, as the agency only receives R385 million from government.
Later, Motlanthe told the audience that unemployment and lack of education among the youth was a big threat to the development of the country.
"There are too many young people between 18 and 24 years who are neither employed nor at a tertiary institution. That shouldn't be happening when there are a lot of bursaries available to assist our youth," said Motlanthe.
Coco Jiba (20), a student from King Sabatha Dalindyebo FET, told Motlanthe and Mkhize about the lack of proper infrastructure in FET colleges, institutions that are supposed to be developing young people to be well equipped and employable.
He said at the KSD FET college, there aren't even workshops where engineering students can perform their practical tasks.
"I don't see the point of learning theory if you don't practice how to apply it," said Jiba.
Mkhize assured students that the provincial Education Department would see to it that infrastructure needs are addressed at the colleges.
