DURBAN - A YOUNG member of the provincial legislature (MPL), Amanda Bani, has called on the government to radically change the state of the youth in the country.
Bani, who celebrated her 35th birthday on Wednesday, said the government was moving at a snail’s pace in changing young people’s lives for the better.
She said it was unacceptable that today’s youth were still crying for help after their counterparts laid down their lives in the 1976 uprising to end apartheid abuse.
Bani said the youth were unhappy after their #FeesMustFall victory because they still have to fight every year for funds from government.
“We know the government has been trying to help youth through various programmes, which include free education that started in 2018, but that alone was not helping to turn the situation around. We need a radical shift for the youth to realise their dreams and get out of poverty.”
She said government must set aside enough funds to help the youth who were in business.
Bani said that not all youth believed they would achieve their goals through education, and that some just needed skills and funds to start their own business.
“It was disappointing that in the unemployment statistics, the youth were always the most unemployed. Unemployment is driving youth to drugs which is ravaging their lives.
“Most of the people that were found under the bridges were mainly youth who had lost hope of finding employment. Go and look under the freeway bridges and see that most of the people are young people. They are involved in drugs and crime because at the end of the day they must eat.”
The MPL, who is also chairperson of the sports and recreation portfolio committee, said all government departments should find tangible ways to radically and speedily address youth unemployment.
She added that municipalities should redirect funds to build sports facilities for the youth.
Bani, who was once an ANC youth leader in the eThekwini region, holds an accounting degree from the Durban University of Technology and a leadership and ethics honours degree from Stellenbosch University.
She was appointed to the legislature in 2019.
Daily News