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Solidarity Youth today sent a letter to the organisers of the Google Impact Challenge, pointing out to them that the widely-discussed Yes4Youth programme excludes people based on the colour of their skin, but that the programme was nonetheless chosen as a finalist in the competition.

According to Solidarity Youth Coordinator Paul Maritz, the rules, as set out by Google Impact Challenge in Paragraph 2 Rule C, state that a programme is not eligible for the competition if it discriminates on the basis of ethnicity or sexual preference. “However, that is exactly what the Yes4Youth programme does. Yes4Youth already makes it clear during the registration process that young white unemployed persons cannot be accommodated in the programme and in that they are not even permitted to register,” Maritz said.

In its letter to the organisers of the Google Impact Challenge, Solidarity Youth states that it is important to work towards a non-racial society that includes people and not excludes them based on their skin colour. “This sentiment was reiterated in Parliament by Pres Cyril Ramaphosa on 6 November. Consequently, Solidarity Youth was shocked to discover that the Yes4Youth programme, as set out in the Government Gazette, won’t include white people,” Maritz explained.

“Solidarity Youth therefore believes that the Yes4Youth programme stands in direct contrast to the spirit and the rules of the Google Impact Challenge programme because it does not comply with the requirements of non-racialism,” Maritz said.

“All we are asking, is for things to be on an even keel and that people should not be judged on the basis of their race. Should the Google Impact Challenge find that the Yes4Youth programme meets their requirements, we would like an explanation from them. And if the programme does not meet those requirements, the Yes4Youth programme should be disqualified as a finalist, Maritz concluded.

Issued by Solidarity Youth