Premier Winde celebrates the Western Cape’s youth

Premier Winde celebrates the Western Cape’s youth & provincial government’s efforts to uplift our young people

Ahead of Youth Day, the Premier’s weekly digicon turned its focus to the Western Cape’s youth. Six youth, involved in various Western Cape Government (WCG) programmes, were Premier Alan Winde’s special guests this week.

They outlined their hopes and aspirations to realise their full potential and outlined how getting involved in WCG initiatives such as the YearBeyond Programme and the Chrysalis Academy had empowered them. Crucially, they also spoke of the challenges that they and other youth in their communities’ face on a daily basics. Premier Winde said: “I am inspired by the energy, determination and grit that these young people have shown. I am also incredibly proud that the WCG has played a small role in the development of the next generation.

Premier Winde is leading a WCG delegation on a visit to the United States of America (USA). The aim of the trip is to protect the Western Cape and South Africa’s access to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). “We have come to the USA to meet with lawmakers, trade partners, and other stakeholders to demonstrate the WCG’s commitment to fighting poverty through job creation and our deep respect for the rule of law. We are here in the USA precisely to secure job opportunities for our young people, some of whom I had a chance to meet on our digicon today.”

“These are just two areas that are not only very close to our heart as a government but are also critical AGOA eligibility criteria which will in the coming months be reviewed. Our message on this visit is clear and unambiguous: in the Western Cape we are doing things differently in the interests of our citizens, especially our future generations, to empower them to thrive and prosper.”

He added, “The provincial government’s sterling track record of good governance, our efforts to root out all forms of corruption, our encouraging employment figures and crime stats are concrete proof of the dedication to offer our residents opportunities. This is exactly what AGOA is about: bringing hope to communities through economic development.”

On the panel were the following youth:

• Abongile Fudumale, 24, who was born and raised in Masiphumelele in Cape Town. “After matriculating I enrolled at Damelin College to study Business Management. Unfortunately, I could not complete the course, due to a lack of funds,” he explained. But Abongile did not allow this to get in his way. He applied to be a part of the Chrysalis Academy, run by Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety. He started his 3-month journey in September last year and graduated in November 2022. 
• Nineteen-year-old Kelly Bambo is 19 years old and resides in Bonteheuwel. Kelly is a 2023 PAY Intern at the Provincial Treasury. “This internship is a gateway and steppingstone to my future career. I am deeply grateful to the Western Cape Government for offering me this opportunity.”
• Damione De Bruin, 22, hails from Paarl East. “I hope to one day have my own business. The Year Beyond programme has given me the platform to grow and develop my personal skills.” He spoke of the violence too many young people experience in their lives. “Some join gangs just to feel safe,” he told the digicon.
• Amanda Tsele is a 23-year old Teacher’s Assistant working in the Western Cape Education Department. She was born and raised in Old Crossroads in Cape Town. Amanda completed grade 12 at Sinethemba High School and went on to study at Boston College, obtaining a certificate in Lay Counselling in 2019. She also completed a certificate in Marketing Management. She said, “I was unemployed until I got a job through the Western Cape Education Department. Unemployment is a huge challenge which leads to many problems.”
• Tweny-one-year-old Yanela Nkamba is a Safety and Security Office Administrator, involved in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s Internship programme. “I am a goal-driven person who is grabbing this opportunity to develop myself.”
• Luqmaan Dreyer, 22, grew up in Lotus River in Cape Town. He attended Zeekovlei High School where he matriculated in 2019. After matric he had part-time jobs in the construction and retail industry. After being unemployed for a while, he grabbed the opportunity to work as a chef under the tutelage of world-renowned chef Luke-Dale Roberts at The Test Kitchen Fledglings - an initiative aimed that upskills budding young chefs. It forms part of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s Work and Skills Programme.

While engaging with the Premier, the youth were honest about the many challenges they face, the intolerably high youth unemployment rate in the country being one of their main concerns. “We might have a lower unemployment rate in the Western Cape,” remarked the Premier, “but it is still a major concern of mine. We have a very long road ahead of us to beat poverty and joblessness. That is why we must use Youth Day as a day of commemoration to honour those young people who gave their lives so future generations could live in a free South Africa and to reflect on our country’s future, one where all young people are free and enabled to prosper.”

To watch a recording of this week’s digicon please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxuX4pvpVkM