Cape Town - In an effort to address challenges facing the unemployed youth, Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu officially launched the Lulwazi Lwethu Youth Skills Centre at the KTC hall in Nyanga at the weekend.
The centre will offer an array of new skills training programmes relevant to the economy, including digital skills, and assist young people to prepare for the future of work.
Ward councillor Khaya Yozi, who inaugurated the centre in 2013, said it had suffered burglaries on two occasions during which more than 60 computers were stolen.
“Initially, while we were installing connectivity we experienced a burglary and all the computers were stolen, including the printer, but we managed to recover them through the insurance. But in January when we were about to finish the roofing which was destroyed during the burglary, for the second time the computers got stolen. We are now excited that we can finally tell the public that the centre can officially open,” he said.
Yozi said the centre will trial with only matriculants this year before it is open to other community members.
“Four administrators have been trained, which will be paid through the ward allocation fund, while computer training will be introduced at a later stage. Through partnerships, a portal will also be introduced where people will be able to search for jobs online,” he said.
Zulu said the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey recently released by Statistics South Africa painted a grim picture of youth unemployment, exacerbated by the onset of Covid-19, which prompted the launch of the centre.
“The centre must go beyond what Lulwazi Lwethu is doing in terms of computer literacy and coding, but a centre that is abuzz and teams up with young spirits. As a government working together with communities we need to find vehicles for occupying these young people so that we can remove them from the streets, exposure to drugs and substance abuse and other social ills,” she said.
City mayoral member for community service and health Zahid Badroodien said community facilities should be used as transformative safe spaces in which opportunities can be accessed.
“The City is proud to have been able to partner with key stakeholders to convert a portion of the KTC community hall into a training centre that will benefit many people.
“Opening the facility has not been without its challenges and I call upon the entire community to protect this space from vandalism and theft so that the futures of all those who make use of this training centre will be brighter each day,” said Badroodien.