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4 July 2008

Programme Director, Mr Lindokuhle Hlatshwayo
Mayor of Emakhazeni, Councillor Linky Mohlala
Councillors present
CEO of the Mpumalanga Youth Commission, Mr A.N Mahlangu
Representatives from the:
Umsobomvu Youth Fund
Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)
South African Revenue Service (SARS)
National Empowerment Fund
Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB)
ABSA
Ladies and Gentlemen

The participation of our youth into the mainstream economy of our province and the country at large, is not something that we must compromise on. It is an issue that we must stand-up for; take them by hand – and teach them how to 'catch fish', and not catch fish for them. I say this because these informative and interactive annual road-shows on supply chain management that we organise, are done with the objective of empowering the youth when it comes to procurement, with the hope of encouraging the unemployed ones to do it for themselves.

We do this in the spirit of Vuk u'Zenzele, to encourage the youth to become entrepreneurs and not wait and complain that there are no job opportunities in their localities. As I said, we want to empower you to be able to know how to 'catch fish,' and not catch fish for you.

We are doing this because of our commitment to empowering the youth of our province, who are in the majority, and are future leaders. Our province is actually a youthful province, with more than forty (40) percent being the youth between the ages of 19 and 35 years. We shall continue in our crusade for human up-liftment and empowerment, in particular the youth, in order to address the legacy of the past – as a united province and the country.

As we continue to celebrate the 38th anniversary of the Soweto uprisings against oppression, marginalisation and discrimination, we pay homage to the youth of yester-year, in particular the courageous youth of 1976 for their contribution towards our political emancipation and freedom, by empowering them through these workshops. We believe that when talking about emancipation, we also refer to economic and financial emancipation, which will see our youth playing a critical role in growing the economy of the Province and South Africa at large.

Through these workshops, we seek to bring young people, women and people with disabilities to the epi-centre of our economic advancements and therefore contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA).

Our intervention comes as a way of addressing dissatisfaction and complaints raised by communities, in most cases the unemployed youth, women and people with disabilities, during a number of outreach programmes by the Provincial Executive Council, on their inability to benefit from government procurement, in the provision of goods and services.

At the same time, we implore on our youth to provide quality service when they are awarded government contracts. Our experience is that some people take government for granted and provide inferior goods and services, and complain bitterly, when they are not considered the second time around.

I should however warn you that government is not an easy springboard to riches, and we intend to blacklist all those who are defrauding government by way of providing sub-standards goods and inferior service to government. Nobody in his or her right mind, would continue to use the service of a person who is a cheat and a crook. Through our Norms and Standards Unit in the department, we will continue to monitor projects awarded to community members, to ensure that public funds are properly accounted for, that we get value for money, and that the service providers contracted by government deliver on what they are supposed to.

Programme Director, economic empowerment goes hand in glove with the ability and willingness to save for tomorrow. Recent statistics indicates that the culture of saving in South Africa has degenerated tremendously. We live too much on credit and do not consider the future. The latest figures released by the South African Reserve Bank indicates that the gross saving ratio continues to decline and now stands at one comma two percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

As the month of July every year is regarded as the National Savings Awareness Month, we urge all South Africans, in particular the youth, to start saving. It is never too late to do so. We acknowledge that there are a number of discouraging factors such as high banking charges, but believe that discipline is all it takes to start saving today, for your future is in your hands. We continue to call on all financial institutions to partner with us, in our quest to re-inculcate the culture of saving – by making special considerations especially for the poor.

We commend them for coming up with the Mzansi Account – a saving vehicle designed for the poor, and the previously unbanked, but believe they can still do more.

The culture of saving begins with you. I still remember, when I was growing, we used to have those pig-shaped 'spaar' boxes which we used to put coins in. Once the box is full, my mother would then take it to the bank and either open a bank book for me – or buy me something that I had always wished to have. Now, I think this is the culture that we should re-inculcate. You can start small and eventually go big – by buying shares, properties, opening a savings account and even buying the RSA Retail Savings Bonds, which the government has introduced, just to mention but a few.

I commit to reward, financially, a youth who can start to save from today, and after at-least six months to a year, prove to me that he/she was disciplined and committed to save. The saving can be done through any interest –bearing method. The reward will also have to be put into the saving vehicle which was used.

Let's hope that today's session, will one day produce serious entrepreneurs, or even millionaires.

In concluding, Mahatma Gandhi once said, and I quote:

"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning."

You are indeed what you believe you can be. Your destiny lies within yourself – lest you blame someone for not making it in life.

Vuk u'Zenzele!

I wish you a fruitful, informative and interactive session.

Ngiyathokoza!

Issued by: Department of Finance, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
4 July 2008