Date: 02/03/2005
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Answers to questions in National Assembly

QUESTIONS PUT TO DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR ORAL REPLY

2 March 2005


QUESTION NO 1
MR MOKOTO (ANC) TO ASK THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT:
Whether, in light of the problems being experienced by the youth of our country, the Government has taken or intends taking any steps to promote youth development; if not, why not; if so, what steps?

REPLY:
Government is well aware of the many challenges facing young people. We have therefore devised a number of legislative interventions, policies and programmes directed at enhancing and ensuring youth development.

In the limited time available we cannot list all of them so I will just highlight three of them.

a) Government has approved a new National Skills Development Strategy for the period 2005 - 2010. R21,9 billion over five years will be allocated to fund this Strategy, which will include improved co-operation between the SETAs on one hand, and the Further Training and Education colleges and the institutions of higher education on the other. This aims to ensure that young people are adequately equipped for the employment market.

b) The National Youth Service aims to give young people skills that they can utilise in their future businesses or places of employment. It was launched on 28 August last year, here in the Western Cape. A National Youth Service Unit to provide the administrative and day-to-day support was established and is hosted at the Umsobomvu Youth Fund in close conjunction with the National Youth Commission.

Since the launch more than 150 organisations and individuals have made contact with the National Youth Service Unit regarding assistance to register as accredited with the National Youth Service as service providers. A new more accessible Registration Toolkit is being finalized. A National Youth Service Manual to assist prospective partner organisations has also been finalized. The development of a National Youth Service Curriculum Framework is underway. 23 742 youth are currently active in accredited service programmes.

c) Government has also created Umsobomvu Youth Fund. Amongst others, the Fund recently established a Jobs and Opportunity Seekers, database which the President promised in the State of the Nation address in May last year.

The database runs from the Umsobomvu Youth Portal. It has been completed and without even launching, has five thousand registered youth.

Some of whom have already been linked with opportunities. The youth portal offers information on bursaries, careers, employment, entrepreneurship, citizenship and health and well-being. There is also an online CV preparation tool.

Government will continue to put the issue of youth development as one of our top priorities. We will continue developing new strategies, policies and programmes to ensure that new challenges in this regard are adequately addressed on an on-going basis.

QUESTION NO 2
MR A J LEON (DA) TO ASK THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT:
(1) Whether the Government has formally rebuked the Zimbabwean government for its failure to comply with the 90 day deadline for the deployment of a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) team of legal experts in accordance with the SADC guidelines for free and fair elections; if not, why not; if so, (a) when did it do so and (b) what are the relevant details;
(2) Whether, in its role as chair of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security, the Government will reconsider its diplomatic relationship with Zimbabwe, as was done by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in response to the unconstitutional rise to power of a certain person in Togo (name furnished), should Zimbabwe fail to comply with SADC election guidelines; if not, why not; if so, what steps will be taken in this regard?

REPLY:
(1) No, we have not rebuked the Zimbabwean government. The Honourable Leader of the Opposition does not appear to have properly read ,