Keynote Address by Jeff Radebe, Minister in the Presidency ror Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation; on the occasion on the Primedia Step Up 2 Start Up
Vi National Young Entrepreneurs Awards Gala Dinner; Tsogo Sun, Arcadia
Programme Director:
Minister of Small
Business, Lindiwe Zulu
Business leaders
The Award Nominees
NDP Youth Brand
Ambassadors
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is such a pleasure
for me to address an occasion that recognises and celebrates excellence among
the youth. The occasion to recognise the achievements of young people gives us
a glimpse into the future of our economic landscape. The young stars that we
are celebrating this evening are the future business leaders and contributors
to our economic development.
For a long time, the
dominant narrative in the public discourse regarded the youth as the “lost
generation.” Our event this evening is a clear indication that South African
youth are the cartographers of their own dreams. They are the architects of
their own destiny. They have taken it upon themselves to redefine their purpose
and craft a different trajectory for their generation. They are the
manifestation of Frantz Fanon’s incisive words, that:
“Each generation must, out of
relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it…”
I must commend Primedia
for taking the initiative to recognise and celebrate the youth through this
competition. The “Step Up 2 A
Start Up National Young Entrepreneurs Competition” is a vital incentive
in cultivating the entrepreneurial culture among the youth. We commend
Primestars Marketing, a component of Primedia, for developing programmes for
high school learners from disadvantaged communities and for employing cinema as
a vehicle for transmitting knowledge through the “Educational Theatres of
Learning.” I am told that to date, Primestars has reached over 150, 000
secondary school learners across the nine provinces through this programme.
The aims and objectives
of this competition resonate with our own imperatives. I am pleased to note
that this competition presents learners with the opportunity to display their
entrepreneurial skills, passion and competence in a supportive environment. Through
this competition, we will be able to nurture young people to become
entrepreneurs who will contribute to our economic development as a nation.
Progressive nations all
across the globe enhance their chances of prosperity through investment in new
ideas, new innovations and new opportunities. Young people must be presented
with opportunities to explore their talents and unleash their creative
potential. We need innovative young entrepreneurs who will play a meaningful
role in the renewal of our economy. Entrepreneurship is a fundamental endeavour
for economic emancipation especially in our rapidly changing industrial
landscape.
Our economic indicators
show that the youth remains the hardest hit by the triple challenges of
poverty, unemployment and inequality. The scourge of unemployment, which is
more severe among the youth, is not a government problem alone. It is a
societal problem. Youth development is a matter of national importance. To
ignore the plight of the youth will be a major risk in the socio-economic
condition of our country.
The latest report from Stats SA shows that youth
unemployment currently stands at about 38%. Youth unemployment is a major
economic factor that breeds other social ills. There is a symbiotic
relationship between increased youth unemployment and crime in our society. The
prevalence of substance abuse is rife in areas where there is high youth
unemployment. Alcoholism is a common trend among the youth especially in areas
where there is high unemployment rate. We need an integrated approach in
addressing these social ills as the have devastating effects in our economic
growth.
The challenges that
confront our nation demand that government, business and the civil society work
together to advance the gains of our democracy over the past twenty-three (23)
years. Government in consultation with the various stakeholders across the
realm of society developed the National Development Plan (NDP) as a blue print
for the creation of a more prosperous South Africa by 2030. The core priorities
of the NDP are to address the perennial challenges of poverty, unemployment and
inequality.
The NDP is very
emphatic on developing faster and more inclusive growth. It makes it abundantly
clear that the achievement of economic transformation and inclusive growth will
not result from a single intervention – it needs a wide range of stakeholders
to be involved. Business is a vital partner in our efforts to develop a more
dynamic, inclusive and flourishing economy.
The business sector has
got a critical role to play in our journey towards the realization of the dream
of a South Africa that is free of abject poverty, unemployment and ross
inequalities. Leaders in business should play their part in helping to develop
the next generation of entrepreneurs in South Africa. They should provide
skills development opportunities like training, internships and mentorship for
young graduates and budding entrepreneurs. The nexus between government,
business, labour and civil society would propel us forward in our economic
development endeavours.
Our starting point
should be to leverage on our common values and interests rather than our
differences. We all espouse a better, more prosperous and economically viable
South Africa. A stable economy is the bedrock of a prosperous nation and the
business sector is one of the key pillars of economic growth. The more
successful businesses we have, the better the economic standing of South Africa
in the world.
I am delighted that
Primedia took particular interest in youth. Youth development is not only a
mandate bestowed upon me by parliament, but it is also an area that I am very
passionate about. I strongly believe that youth should be at the forefront of
change in society and ought to be at the forefront of the implementation of the
NDP as the long-term vision of the country. They are the ones who will witness
the impact of the NDP as the long-term plan of the country. We must empower
young people to be the champions of growth and development in our society.
It is against this
backdrop that the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME)
established the NDP Youth Brand Ambassador programme. The NDP Youth Brand
Ambassador Programme was conceived as an intervention aimed at promoting youth
entrepreneurship to boost economic growth, increase employment, and reduce
poverty and inequality. We envisioned the programme as a significant
contributor towards the attainment of the national imperatives of creating an
inclusive and more dynamic economic landscape.
We have selected a
total of 37 young people to serve as the NDP Youth Brand Ambassadors. These
young people are some of the most outstanding innovators, investors,
entrepreneurs and career trailblazers in our country. They are remarkable
achievers in their respective fields selected from different provinces across
South Africa. Some of these ambassadors are seated amongst you this evening. I
trust that this platform will present the with the opportunity to network and
interact with some business leaders in the room this evening.
I understand that we
have delegates from some of the top 50 companies listed in the JSE. This is
your opportunity to interact with some of the most dynamic and innovative minds
who will soon become captains of the industry. An early investment into these
young people could contribute significantly to the future growth of your
business. I encourage you to form partnerships now and invest in this worthy
cause.
At this stage,
Programme Director, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to all the
institutions that continue to support youth development. I am particularly
grateful to our partners, Primedia, Cisco, Liquid Telecom, Altron, and those
who are about to join us, for believing in youth development. We still need the
support and commitment of other stakeholders in society, including businesses,
civil society and educational institutions. Youth development is everybody’s
business.
The value of
public-private partnerships is that they are mutually beneficial. Their
strength is that they help businesses grow their customer base and increase
their profit margins while at the same time addressing government imperatives
like employment creation. This is the reason why inclusive growth is central in
the development agenda of the South African government. I must once again
commend Primedia for not only being preoccupied with making profit margins, but
also committing to youth development.
It was Henry Ford who
said, “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” Primedia is
definitely not a poor business in this sense. These awards affirm your stature
as a critical player in the development of our society. The recognition of top
achievers is a good incentive to encourage excellence among the youth.
In conclusion, let me congratulate
all the nominees this evening. The fact that you have made this prestigious
list is a clear recognition of the unique contribution you have made into the
South African economic landscape. This milestone should inspire you to break
more barriers and expand your horizons.
Those who will receive
awards this evening should not rest on their laurels. The award is only a
recognition of the work you have done thus far. It must inspire you to do more.
You must keep striving for the best, because your best is yet to come.
Entrepreneurship is a vocation that requires innovative minds. Great innovators
never rest. They endeavour to implement the next great idea. They always strive
to make a difference. May you continue serving as a source of inspiration to
other young people.
It is through
education, skills development and entrepreneurship that we can transform our
economy. Young leaders are the major catalysts for our future growth. Let us
join hands and help the youth to empower themselves.
It is our future – make
it work!
Thank you.
Enquiries: Tshegofatso.Modubu@dpme.gov.za
/
083 276 0786 or Mmabatho Ramompi on 076 4803513 or Mmabatho.Ramompi@dpme.gov.za
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Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Issued by the Department of Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME)
5 December 2017