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17 June 2008

Education and the vote are crucial in ensuring a better future for today's youth, says Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

Addressing the Youth Day celebrations at the Johannesburg stadium on Monday, 16 June 2008, Shilowa said young people should use all the opportunities that government has made available for them to bridge the skills gap.

"The challenges that face young people today are different from the one the youth of 1976 fought for."

"In 2008 we need to find a solution on how we get more of our young people to venture into the fields of engineering, mechanics and other fields that the country desperately need skills on," said Shilowa.

Shilowa further urged the youth to condemn the recent attacks directed at foreign nationals and focus all their energies on fighting against the scourge of HIV and AIDS, crime, drug abuse and alcohol.

"Xenophobia has no place in our country. We want to build a country that has no racism, xenophobia and sexism," he said.

This year's celebrations took place under the theme: 'Entrenching our Democracy: all youth to the polls', calling young people to actively participate in the democratic processes of the country as the key to achieving further progress of a better life for all.

16 June 2008, marked, the 32nd anniversary of the Soweto Uprisings in which several students were killed during a protest against Bantu education laws being implemented in their schools.

The provincial commemorations started with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Hector Peterson Memorial site in Soweto by Premier Shilowa accompanied by the Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Barbara Creecy, Joburg Mayor Amos Masondo, Gauteng Youth Commission Chairperson Lebogang Maile and members of the June 16 Foundation.

Also addressing the youth, Mayor Masondo urged young people to take the similar stand as the 1976 youth in fighting xenophobia, HIV and AIDS, racism, unemployment and poverty.

"The damage done to our country by the attacks on foreign nationals cannot be underestimated," said Masondo.

He noted that these incidents undermined government's effort to build a better province for all who lived in it. He said the youth of today must get inspiration from the youth of yesterday to build a better Gauteng.

Gauteng Youth Commission, Lebogang Maile said government should invest in education and recreation infrastructure. He also challenged young people to grab opportunities that are there in government, created especially for them.

"The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) strategy and Gauteng Enterprise Propeller are some of the initiatives by government that aim to put the youth at the forefront of economic growth and entrepreneurship.

"We must not let these opportunities go by. We need to create our own legacy and be known for huge achievements and the youth that change the face of South Africa for the better 30 years down the line," said Maile.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
17 June 2008
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za)