Young activists from the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape believe the National Development Plan is not meeting their needs.
They say that the NDP is a failed document that is not implemented. Those sentiments were echoed during the NDP’s 10th anniversary celebration held on the Alice campus.
The NDP is a document aimed at tackling the persistent challenges facing society such as unemployment, inequality and poverty. He aims to overcome them by 2030.
Young people claim that the current leaders have run out of ideas on how to improve their lives.
10th Anniversary National Development Plan:
One activist, Masuli Kwele, says high unemployment and a lack of skills development have been identified as issues that need immediate attention.
“We just need leaders who will have the political will. In terms of all the government policies and regulations that are being made, if you look at it now, when it comes to skills, there are none. They need to invest more in skills to cope with the unemployment rate and the government needs to create more economic challenges, even in the business sector where you go there is no room for young people.’
SRC president Snowy Hawker says the younger generation can bring a new set of ideas to tackle the challenges facing young people.
“These old men are tired now. We can’t blame them. They need to step aside now. The youth must prevail. It’s time for the youth to do more. They can be in the parliament, but there must be young people in the departments. Let the youth be the general director of these departments, because the youth know what the country needs.”
The Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Professor Tinyika Maluleke, admits that there is an element of failure on their part in the implementation of the PNR.
“The statistics are frightening. Objectives do not belong to NPCs. They belong not only to the government. They belong to all of us and we have failed to achieve these goals. Several achievements have been made in the 10 years since the NDP was drafted. From this follows, for example, state planning, medium-term strategic plan.
The theme of this year’s NDP celebrations is: “How can we evoke and implement the NDP for a new socio-economic legacy for South Africa?”
Young people at the University of Fort Hare hope to be part of the answer.
