Youth Day 2014 | Western Cape Government

Youth Day 2014

(Western Cape Government)
Youth Day 2014

While the youth of 1976 fought for freedom and a democratic state, today's youth are focused on successfully tackling the challenges of poverty, unemployment, HIV and AIDS, personal development, economic freedom and the development of the country. 

On 8 April 2014, Premier Helen Zille and Minister of Social Development, Albert Fritz launched the Western Cape Youth Development Strategy. This inititaive looks to society as a whole to improve the circusmtances of young people in the Western Cape, by equipping them with the necessary skills and tools that they can use to become productive and responsible members of society.

Census 2011 portrays South Africa as a youthful nation, with an average age of 25 years old. A third of our population of 52 million people is under the age of 15 years.

Even though a youthful nation is generally regarded as a positive development, it is a cause for concern in terms of the country's unemployment statistics as young people comprise 4,5 million of the unemployed.

Alcoholism, substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking are global phenomena - and South Africa is no exception. These have serious implications for millions of South Africans because alcohol and substance abuse ultimately contribute to growing crime, gangsterism, domestic violence, family dysfunction and other social problems. 

There are various Youth Training Facilities available to assist in the skills development of young people in the Western Cape.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport will celebrate Youth Day 2014 with various sports and arts events across the province. 

Other helpful ways to keep youth occupied:

Useful Information

The content on this page was last updated on 24 June 2014