Issued by: Office of the Deputy President: Mr T. Mbeki
4 March
NYC PRESS STATEMENT
Noting the unfortunate NP attack on the proposal for National Youth Service contained in the National Youth Policy document, the following observations are worth making by way of response:
i.) The proposal as set out in the Youth Policy was overwhelmingly agreed to by the 167 delegates - including those from the National Party Youth Action - to last November's 2nd National Youth Summit, which ratifies the draft National Youth Policy;
ii.) NP Youth Action leader, Mr Boeijie de Wet's support for both the policy as a whole and the principle of youth service was a matter of record, communicated and recorded by journalists who covered the proceedings of the summit;
iii.) It is mischievous politicking to suggest that the National Youth Service proposal is about exploiting graduates, when the NP is well aware, firstly, that the service is intended for all youth, and secondly, that its intention is as much to benefit graduates with accredited experience in their fields as it is about building a culture of constructive contribution amongst youth;
iv.) It is ironic that the National Party chooses to demonise the National Service proposal by drawing parallels to the old military conscription system, which, as an abusive apartheid assault on the potential of young white men in this country, is completely anathema to the developmental intentions of community youth service;
v.) Inasmuch as the 2nd National Youth Summit mandated the formation of a National Youth Service Task Team to convert the agreed National Service recommendations into a workable, comprehensive proposal to government, then until such time as the clear proposal of this team is tabled, the NP is simply self-indulging in premature attacks on imaginary windmills;
vi.) The concept of National Youth Service is not something hatched in the offices of the NYC, but a product of an eight-month consultation process involving representatives of over 250 000 youth. Any thinking that equates an attack on National Service as an attack on the NYC is confused in the extreme. We are, in this regard, agents of an overwhelming and legitimate mandate. The NP may be unhappy with the outcomes of the consultation process but they themselves have acknowledged its integrity;
vii.) It's worth noting that throughout the process of 9 provincial summits, 2 national summits, 27 youth hearings and 9 sectoral workshops, only one objection to National Youth Service - that of the Freedom Front Youth - was ever recorded.
viii.) If the issues around this country's pressing need for a comprehensive national youth development programme are to be subjected to the exigencies of party-politicking, then the only losers will be the youth of South Africa - who have spoken clearly on this matter.
(Sign)
NOMFUNDO MBULI
Deputy Chairperson