Gauteng Social Cohesion invades Boipatong
Gauteng Social Cohesion invades Boipatong
By Mandisa Mtimkulu – 13 July 2021
Community of Boipatong attending the Youth Month Community Conversation
On Tuesday, 15 June 2021, the Gauteng Social Cohesion in collaboration with the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) held a Boipatong Youth Month Community Conversation at Boipatong Hall with COVID-19 protocols observed. Mr Joseph Radebe: Acting Director- Community Engagement at VUT acknowledged partnering organisations and welcomed all guest speakers and participants. The event was preceded by singing of the South African National Anthem.
The mandate of the event was to discuss challenges that the youth of today come across post 1976. The youth of Boipatong were given an opportunity to express their challenges with different stakeholders that were present at the event namely: National Department of Sports and Recreation South Africa, Provincial Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Social Cohesion Advocacy, South African Revenue Services (SARS) and Enactus VUT to name a few.
Words of encouragement were given to the youth by Thabo Mokone from Lesedi FM, and he said: “let’s not be a generation that depend on the government for employment, let us be a generation that creates job opportunities and be a youth that operates their own businesses”. He furthermore emphasized that the neighbouring organisations should not only give youth internship programmes but should also give them permanent positions as this is not only government responsibility but that of the nation at large and proper training should be given to those in need.
Mr Joseph Radebe the organiser and programme director said, “we are not here to reform but to transform the youth”. Over and above, he accentuated that the youth of 1976 were in a movement not to be taught in Afrikaans, the youth of 2021 is in a movement of fighting unemployment in South Africa.
The event was closed by a beautiful, exciting singing, dancing and poetry by Jabulile Mthimkhulu and associates.