Statement by Minister Dan Plato - Your choices can make your “Life Counts”

Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

Your choices can make your “Life Counts”

Date: 12 June 2018

Release: Immediate

[Note to editors: High resolution photos from the weekend’s Youth Month “Life Counts” launch in Athlone are available upon request]

This weekend I launched the Department of Community Safety’s “Life Counts” programme as part of Youth Month. This is in line with the Department’s continued efforts to reach more young residents in the province through various programmes and activities.

We see too many youth, children even, dying in our streets. We see too many youngsters running around with guns, getting involved in drugs and choosing a criminal life of gansterism.

Life is all about making choices and I want you, the youth, to start making better choices for yourself and for your future, because your Life Counts.

That is why we invited more than 2000 youth from more than 50 communities across the province to Athlone, to share with them some of the Western Cape Government’s plans. We also aimed to inspire and motivate them to get the most out what life has to offer them.

Going forward, the Department of Community Safety’s “Life Counts” programme will focus on youth empowerment activities in various communities.

We aim to see ongoing peer mentorship programmes continue in many of our vulnerable areas to help the youth of our province navigate issues and challenges life might throw their way.

Through partnerships with religious institutions we aim to providing alternative leisure activities and guidance to vulnerable youth and youth at risk, as additional diversion from becoming tangled in gang related or high risk activities.

I am extremely happy that more than 44 communities have already committed to joining the “Life Counts” programme, and will participate in the various programmes and upcoming Annual Youth Conference. These areas include Knysna, Mossel Bay, Worcester, De Doorns, Beaufort West, Mitchells Plain, Ocean View, Lavender Hill, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Langa, Manenberg, Delft, Kraaifontein and Wesbank.

I want to urge the youth of this province to make their “Life Count” every day, in every moment and utilise the different opportunities available, through the Department of Community Safety or any other sphere of government or non-governmental organisation.