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The National Assembly Programming Committee this morning agreed to make provision for a parliamentary debate on the Youth Wage Subsidy on 31 May, subject to the availability of the relevant Minister.

The decision was made in response to a request yesterday by Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko MP that the Youth Wage Subsidy be debated by Parliament as soon as possible.

This is an important step towards the DA’s goal of making Parliament an institution that is both relevant, and responsive to the issues that are most important to South Africans.

The debate about the Youth Wage Subsidy has been taking place in the press, civil society and among the people of South Africa.

Parliament should be at the cutting edge of key debates facing our nation, and the opportunity for Parliament to debate the Youth Wage Subsidy is long overdue.

We welcome the support that other parties represented in the National Assembly have shown for the DA’s proposal to have the Wage Subsidy debated in Parliament, and welcome the Speaker’s recognition of this issue as one of public importance.

In an opinion research report released yesterday by TNS, it was revealed that 77% of young South Africans support the implementation of the Youth Wage Subsidy. On top of that, 66% of people older than 31 – those who would not directly benefit from the subsidy – also support the implementation of the policy.

The people have spoken clearly. The vast majority want the youth wage subsidy, and it is time that MPs, as representatives of the South African people, debate their views in Parliament.