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The YCLSA (Ufasimba) notes the factional appointment of the National Youth Development (NYDA) Board members by the President of the Republic of South Africa. As the YCLSA we are very disappointed by the decision of the President as the decision fuels division amongst the PYA and not in line with the established tradition of deployment in the NYDA by the PYA. We further note the demotion of our National Chairperson, Comrade Yershen Pillay to the board of the National Youth Development Agency.

We are disappointed that Comrade Yershen Pillay was not recognized for his hard work and dedication in turning around the NYDA. President Zuma is sending the wrong message to the public that if you perform and deliver on your mandate the consequences are either demotion or dismissal. First Comrade Pravin Gordhan was fired for doing his job and now Comrade Yershen Pillay is demoted for turning around the NYDA. President Zuma seems to make state appointments purely based on factional considerations. Though we respect the prerogative of the President in appointing the Board, the Executive Chairperson and the Deputy Executive Chairperson, we are disgusted that the prerogative has been abused.

As the YCLSA we are confident in Comrade Yershen Pillay’s capabilities, experience and commitment to youth development and empowerment. We salute Comrade Pillay for his outstanding performance as the previous Chairperson from 2013 up until the end of his term of office in 2016. During his tenure at the NYDA he successfully led the turnaround of the NYDA from R167 million in irregular and wasteful expenditure to a clean audit. He executed his mandate with distinction by stabilizing and repositioning the NYDA as a more credible and capable development agency for the youth of our country. As the YCLSA we are confident that should he have been given the executive, Cde Pillay was going to use his experience to assist the new board in taking the NYDA to greater heights.

However, Comrade Pillay is a revolutionary. He will soldier on. He has no interest in self-preservation. He's only interest is to serve the youth of this country in whatever role he is given.

Having considered the demotion of Cde Pillay by the President as the YCLSA we arrived to a very difficult and painful decision to accept as a member of the recently appointed NYDA Board whilst we will be consulting with our structures.

The YCLSA is committed to working with the new NYDA board in advancing the youth development agenda. As the YCLSA we have asked Comrade Pillay to accept his appointment on the board of the NYDA and to contribute to youth development in the country. He will be the only youth leader to serve 3 consecutive terms in the leadership of a state entity since the establishment of the National Youth Commission in 1996. No other young South African has served more terms than Comrade Pillay in a youth entity of the state. We congratulate him for this achievement and we wish him well.

More important to us as the YCLSA is the direction of youth development in our country. The NYDA should strive to make an impact on the lives of young people by devising more programmes focused on promoting youth entrepreneurship and cooperatives development. It must not be a cash cow for a tiny minority of politically connected youth. We also need more programmes such as the Matric Second Chance Programme and the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund. These interventions are important for the education and skills development of our youth. More jobs should be created for youth especially in the digital economy. More young people should be taking opportunities in the digital economy as a rapidly growing sector of the society.

Issued by YCLSA