Date:22/01/2004
Source: SA Government
Title: Radebe: Remarks at the launch of the Barclays Africa
Dear members of the media
Herewith is Minister Jeff Radebe's remarks at the launch of the Barclays Africa/Junior Achievement International Youth Development Partnership.
Economic Development and the Emancipation of Youth
Dominic Bruynseels, CEO of Barclays Africa,
Zanele Twala, CEO Junior Achievement South Africa,
Junior Achievers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is not often that one starts a day this early with a rewarding and pleasant celebration! So, let me begin by thanking Barclays Africa for the invitation to address this important gathering this morning.
The ANC has always cherished and promoted the development of youth in our country, and our Government is delighted to witness the birth of this new three-year partnership between Barclays Africa and Junior Achievement International.
Paging through the information I received from your offices as well as JAI‚s website, I noted that although Junior Achievement traces its history to the beginning of the last century, the organization has seen phenomenal growth from membership from just 15 countries in 1989 to more than 112 nations today. It is interesting to note that your expansion occurred through the window of democracy opened by the end of the Cold War. To meet the challenges of a new era, Junior Achievement International was formally established in 1994, and has since spread rapidly to every continent, the Caribbean and Pacific archipelagoes, covering every time-zone of the globe.
South Africans have also marched to a happier beat since 1994, expanding our contacts with the world and participating as a proud, young, free and independent nation on the global stage. Thus, it is indeed a happy coincidence that JAI will celebrate its 10th anniversary alongside that of our young democracy!
As we all know, Junior Achievement has been in South Africa for over 20 years, and now boasts membership in 15 African nations, including Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote d‚Ivoire, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria in the west, across to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in the east, and Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa in the southern part of our great continent. I understand that one of the aims of the new partnership we celebrate today is to expand JAI into African countries where Barclays has a presence but which are not yet covered by the JAI umbrella. These would include Egypt, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zambia.
What does this expansion mean in real terms? Let us first of all consider that in 2002 alone Junior Achievement South Africa in 2002 alone reached over 15 000 students, helped establish 157 new businesses and assisted 217 existing businesses in the retail, service, and manufacturing sectors, by training 176 young women and 198 young men in four provinces. Link that to the over 502 women and 264 men from all sections of our rainbow nation who were exposed to the mini-enterprise programme during 2002. And then we note your plans to expand into the tourism and travel sectors, banking and other activities that I am sure we will hear about shortly from Zanele Twala.
Your methods are tried and tested; your results impressive.
I congratulate you all for the work that has already been achieved in developing programmes that establish pride in our young people, and provide them with invaluable skills to meet the challenges of the future. Your obvious dedication towards empowering women in particular is noteworthy and must be strengthened. The practical and visible results of these programmes here in South Africa leads me to commend these programmes to colleagues and compatriots across Africa as a viable and practical means to building tomorrow today. They are truly a solid contribution to our ability to secure the future of generations to come.
On the question of challenges, we should not underestimate the major challenges that face our continent as a whole. Africa has slipped behind global investment figures in all major areas of social and economic endeavour. However, through the New Partnership for Africa‚s Development and other home-grown initiatives, Africa now holds within its own hands the future of its varied people. But solving Africa‚s problems requires the active participation of communities and NGOs, of businesses, both private and public, and of individuals who are armed with entrepreneurial know-how and imagination; who are skilled to deal with complex business environments; and who espouse the best principles and ethics of corporate governance and of doing business in a global environment.
In South Africa we have already seen how public-private partnerships have made a major contribution to our own economics and social renaissance. In some ways, PPPs have become a way of life in our country. Naturally, there have been a couple of hiccups along the way, but we have learnt lessons and constantly strive to avoid previous mistakes. It is only through practical action and work that we are able to build our country. And we have provided that basis over the last ten years and are now able to expand and extend all our development, skills and training programmes accordingly.
The ANC Government has committed itself to a massive expansion in infrastructure investment over the next couple of years, as well as to a huge community-based public works programme to provide growth, development, employment and the essential infrastructure that will drive our economy towards greater prosperity. Those plans will mean little without the people to do the work, to provide the business knowledge and to build the companies, small and large, that will provide the services, products and goods that will feed that growth.
Let us not forget that state-owned enterprises, often in partnership and joint ventures with private sector participants, will be key anchors in our proposed strategies for accelerated development. I am therefore especially encouraged that this partnership for sustainable youth participation in business enterprise will reap fertile successes for its participants. Why? Because riding on the back of increased state expenditure in the areas I‚ve mentioned will be even greater exposure and participation by SMMEs and previously disadvantaged people to the benefits of policies that have emerged deliberately only from the Mandela and Mbeki administrations, namely broad-based black economic empowerment and affirmative procurement. Across Africa, too, there is renewed investment and growth in the SMME sector, that promises similar results.
The Barclays Africa/Junior Achievement Partnership is one of those programmes that will spearhead the development of new youth for the new challenges, building young business people to take forward the work of the present. Our Government, alongside other African governments, will continue to support these initiatives, building on the relationships that have already been established with the Umsobomvu Fund, Ntsika, provincial and national government departments.
I am particularly pleased to see that the objectives of your partnership go beyond increasing the number of youngsters with an understanding and appreciation of applied economics, or indeed to providing those already in the business environment with additional skills and further education and training. Of great importance is the additional objective of sensitizing younger people to critical social issues. That you have chosen to emphasise HIV/AIDS is commendable and provides our country and indeed the continent with yet another arrow in the quiver of actions and multi-faceted programmes designed to attack this scourge on all fronts.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Junior Achievement South Africa rallies its members and supporters with the call: „Let their Success be your Inspiration.
Special mention must be made of the thousands of young people who have succeeded through your programme, as well as those who may not have made the grade, but who have striven towards success through their participation. We must continue to encourage those who may have failed certain tests and exams to continue to keep their heads up and to try, try, and try again.
Junior Achievers International has itself warmly acknowledged the manner in which JA South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe are forging a strong foundation for Junior Achievement work in Africa as a whole. They have singled out Maggie Magadza in Zimbabwe, Johanna Cloete in Namibia and Zanele Twala from South Africa as three key people who are building the organization in their own countries and reaching out to the continent as a whole. Surely, these dynamic women, and thousands of volunteers, also inspire with their very own contributions.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank you all for the selfless efforts you all make to ensuring that our young people not only have a place in the future, but who actually carve out that place for themselves, and in the process, help establish a society that is designed to benefit everyone, to provide a better life for all our people, and to build bridges between the peoples of our continent across borders and over sectarian divides.
It would be remiss of me, in such a gathering that concentrates on youth and development not to make a special plea to everyone who has not yet done so, but the youth especially, regardless of political affiliation or inclination, to go out his weekend and register for the looming elections.
Whilst engagement in business and everyday activity is a necessity of life, so we would argue that it is equally critical to arm yourselves with the simplest instrument of democracy, the ability to exercise the right to vote through registration. Let us vote in our millions for whichever party of our own choice to ensure the greatest legitimacy of those entrusted by the people of South Africa to govern.
I thank you, and wish Barclays Africa, the JAI, and every participant in these programmes every success!
Contact: Ms Miranda Strydom
Cell:082 908 8976
Source: SA Government
Title: Radebe: Remarks at the launch of the Barclays Africa
Dear members of the media
Herewith is Minister Jeff Radebe's remarks at the launch of the Barclays Africa/Junior Achievement International Youth Development Partnership.
Economic Development and the Emancipation of Youth
Dominic Bruynseels, CEO of Barclays Africa,
Zanele Twala, CEO Junior Achievement South Africa,
Junior Achievers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is not often that one starts a day this early with a rewarding and pleasant celebration! So, let me begin by thanking Barclays Africa for the invitation to address this important gathering this morning.
The ANC has always cherished and promoted the development of youth in our country, and our Government is delighted to witness the birth of this new three-year partnership between Barclays Africa and Junior Achievement International.
Paging through the information I received from your offices as well as JAI‚s website, I noted that although Junior Achievement traces its history to the beginning of the last century, the organization has seen phenomenal growth from membership from just 15 countries in 1989 to more than 112 nations today. It is interesting to note that your expansion occurred through the window of democracy opened by the end of the Cold War. To meet the challenges of a new era, Junior Achievement International was formally established in 1994, and has since spread rapidly to every continent, the Caribbean and Pacific archipelagoes, covering every time-zone of the globe.
South Africans have also marched to a happier beat since 1994, expanding our contacts with the world and participating as a proud, young, free and independent nation on the global stage. Thus, it is indeed a happy coincidence that JAI will celebrate its 10th anniversary alongside that of our young democracy!
As we all know, Junior Achievement has been in South Africa for over 20 years, and now boasts membership in 15 African nations, including Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote d‚Ivoire, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria in the west, across to Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in the east, and Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa in the southern part of our great continent. I understand that one of the aims of the new partnership we celebrate today is to expand JAI into African countries where Barclays has a presence but which are not yet covered by the JAI umbrella. These would include Egypt, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zambia.
What does this expansion mean in real terms? Let us first of all consider that in 2002 alone Junior Achievement South Africa in 2002 alone reached over 15 000 students, helped establish 157 new businesses and assisted 217 existing businesses in the retail, service, and manufacturing sectors, by training 176 young women and 198 young men in four provinces. Link that to the over 502 women and 264 men from all sections of our rainbow nation who were exposed to the mini-enterprise programme during 2002. And then we note your plans to expand into the tourism and travel sectors, banking and other activities that I am sure we will hear about shortly from Zanele Twala.
Your methods are tried and tested; your results impressive.
I congratulate you all for the work that has already been achieved in developing programmes that establish pride in our young people, and provide them with invaluable skills to meet the challenges of the future. Your obvious dedication towards empowering women in particular is noteworthy and must be strengthened. The practical and visible results of these programmes here in South Africa leads me to commend these programmes to colleagues and compatriots across Africa as a viable and practical means to building tomorrow today. They are truly a solid contribution to our ability to secure the future of generations to come.
On the question of challenges, we should not underestimate the major challenges that face our continent as a whole. Africa has slipped behind global investment figures in all major areas of social and economic endeavour. However, through the New Partnership for Africa‚s Development and other home-grown initiatives, Africa now holds within its own hands the future of its varied people. But solving Africa‚s problems requires the active participation of communities and NGOs, of businesses, both private and public, and of individuals who are armed with entrepreneurial know-how and imagination; who are skilled to deal with complex business environments; and who espouse the best principles and ethics of corporate governance and of doing business in a global environment.
In South Africa we have already seen how public-private partnerships have made a major contribution to our own economics and social renaissance. In some ways, PPPs have become a way of life in our country. Naturally, there have been a couple of hiccups along the way, but we have learnt lessons and constantly strive to avoid previous mistakes. It is only through practical action and work that we are able to build our country. And we have provided that basis over the last ten years and are now able to expand and extend all our development, skills and training programmes accordingly.
The ANC Government has committed itself to a massive expansion in infrastructure investment over the next couple of years, as well as to a huge community-based public works programme to provide growth, development, employment and the essential infrastructure that will drive our economy towards greater prosperity. Those plans will mean little without the people to do the work, to provide the business knowledge and to build the companies, small and large, that will provide the services, products and goods that will feed that growth.
Let us not forget that state-owned enterprises, often in partnership and joint ventures with private sector participants, will be key anchors in our proposed strategies for accelerated development. I am therefore especially encouraged that this partnership for sustainable youth participation in business enterprise will reap fertile successes for its participants. Why? Because riding on the back of increased state expenditure in the areas I‚ve mentioned will be even greater exposure and participation by SMMEs and previously disadvantaged people to the benefits of policies that have emerged deliberately only from the Mandela and Mbeki administrations, namely broad-based black economic empowerment and affirmative procurement. Across Africa, too, there is renewed investment and growth in the SMME sector, that promises similar results.
The Barclays Africa/Junior Achievement Partnership is one of those programmes that will spearhead the development of new youth for the new challenges, building young business people to take forward the work of the present. Our Government, alongside other African governments, will continue to support these initiatives, building on the relationships that have already been established with the Umsobomvu Fund, Ntsika, provincial and national government departments.
I am particularly pleased to see that the objectives of your partnership go beyond increasing the number of youngsters with an understanding and appreciation of applied economics, or indeed to providing those already in the business environment with additional skills and further education and training. Of great importance is the additional objective of sensitizing younger people to critical social issues. That you have chosen to emphasise HIV/AIDS is commendable and provides our country and indeed the continent with yet another arrow in the quiver of actions and multi-faceted programmes designed to attack this scourge on all fronts.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Junior Achievement South Africa rallies its members and supporters with the call: „Let their Success be your Inspiration.
Special mention must be made of the thousands of young people who have succeeded through your programme, as well as those who may not have made the grade, but who have striven towards success through their participation. We must continue to encourage those who may have failed certain tests and exams to continue to keep their heads up and to try, try, and try again.
Junior Achievers International has itself warmly acknowledged the manner in which JA South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe are forging a strong foundation for Junior Achievement work in Africa as a whole. They have singled out Maggie Magadza in Zimbabwe, Johanna Cloete in Namibia and Zanele Twala from South Africa as three key people who are building the organization in their own countries and reaching out to the continent as a whole. Surely, these dynamic women, and thousands of volunteers, also inspire with their very own contributions.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank you all for the selfless efforts you all make to ensuring that our young people not only have a place in the future, but who actually carve out that place for themselves, and in the process, help establish a society that is designed to benefit everyone, to provide a better life for all our people, and to build bridges between the peoples of our continent across borders and over sectarian divides.
It would be remiss of me, in such a gathering that concentrates on youth and development not to make a special plea to everyone who has not yet done so, but the youth especially, regardless of political affiliation or inclination, to go out his weekend and register for the looming elections.
Whilst engagement in business and everyday activity is a necessity of life, so we would argue that it is equally critical to arm yourselves with the simplest instrument of democracy, the ability to exercise the right to vote through registration. Let us vote in our millions for whichever party of our own choice to ensure the greatest legitimacy of those entrusted by the people of South Africa to govern.
I thank you, and wish Barclays Africa, the JAI, and every participant in these programmes every success!
Contact: Ms Miranda Strydom
Cell:082 908 8976
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
