Durban - The Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu has issued a stern warning to the youth.
"Young people, stop making babies and then taking your grandparent’s grants. Stop making babies with men who don't even care. Stop it now," urged Minister Zulu during Friday’s handover of newly-built houses for older people affected by the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
To kickstart the Nelson Mandela Month Programme, Minister Zulu and the Collen Mashawana Foundation officially handed over newly-built and fully-furnished houses to two older persons whose houses were damaged by floods in Caluza in Pietermaritzburg.
In pursuit of empowering young people and ensuring that they live positive lives by means of resuscitating their hopes and aspirations, Zulu conducted a Ministerial outreach programme that will focus on showcasing the Department’s youth development programmes. Key among these is the national dialogue with youth leaders across the country.
The aim of the dialogue is to highlight the work of youth and youth organisations that are actively involved in creating opportunities for their peers in communities.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63.9% for the youth aged 15-24 and 42.1% for those aged 25-34 years. This brought the national unemployment rate to 34.5%.
Zulu also handed over refurbished offices to Umzansi Youth in Business, a local youth NGO based in Sweetwaters that promotes youth participation in civic education and community development.
The office refurbishment was sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints as part of the cooperation agreement with the Department of Social Development.
IOL