Media Release: 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 Year Beyond 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:
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