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In response to a parliamentary question, Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, on Friday revealed that affiliation to the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is being used to grant certain young entrepreneurs the opportunity to participate in state business delegations. 
 
When questioned about the composition of government trade delegations that joined President Zuma on state visits to Egypt, India and Russia, Minister Davies conceded that “the DTI provided transport and accommodation costs to the emerging businesses owned by young entrepreneurs…the companies were recruited through the National Youth Development Agency.”
 
Since its establishment in June 2009, the NYDA has revealed itself to be little more than a front for ANC Youth League cadres wishing to use state resources for personal and political gain. That young entrepreneurs are denied the opportunity to benefit from state sponsored participation in government trade delegations, simply because they do not have the requisite political links, is a clear attempt by the ANC government to offer opportunities only to those who support its political objectives. 
 
The DA strongly supports efforts by government to increase opportunities for economic participation by young South Africans, such as the introduction of a wage subsidy. However, by denying eligible young entrepreneurs opportunities on the basis that they are not affiliated to the NYDA, the ANC government is undermining transparency, perpetuating its deeply problematic policy of using state resources to reward political loyalty and undermining the development of the country’s next generation of businesspeople. 
 
The exposure of NYDA as merely a state-sponsored arm of the ANC YL has terminally compromised its position. It is therefore unjustifiable that the Department of Trade and Industry continues to select only those young entrepreneurs with NYDA links to take part in state trade delegations. 
 
In response to this state of affairs, I will be writing to Minister Davies to urge that this prejudicial practice be ended immediately, and that the opportunity to take part in state trade delegations be made available to all young South African entrepreneurs- irrespective of their political affiliation.