June 30, 2003
By Tshepiso Mogotsi
YOUNG entrepreneurs with big plans and no capital can apply to the Department of Labour for financial assistance to get basic business skills, delegates to the Region 5 Youth Summit were told on Friday.
"The future power of this country is in the hands of today's youth," Kgomotso Mothamo of the Department of Labour said, adding that the department was prepared to provide funding to utilise the skills of the youth.
Mothamo addressed a packed Roodepoort City Hall during a one-day Youth Summit on skills development on Friday 27July and advised young people with fresh business ideas that would "economically sustain the rainbow nation" to visit their nearest Department of Labour offices and present their plans for their projects. "The department will assess the proposals and convincing ones will receive the department's full backup."
Financial support would be offered to deserving individuals to further their training at institutions offering basic business skills development courses, according to Mothamo.
Gauteng Department of Education's life orientation specialist, Lomile Mothamaha, told delegates to be critical when making career choices and so avoid any regrets.
The department planned to make career guidance a compulsory school subject so learners would be helped to make wise choices. "In the past career guidance classes were seen as free periods." This had to change, she said.
The summit was coordinated by Region 5's Social Services Department and attended by young leaders from the settlements of Sol Plaatjie, Mathole, Leratong, Witpoortjie, Zandspruit, Itsoseng, Davidsonville and Princess.
Course outlines from various tertiary institutions, such as Technikon South Africa and Damelin West Rand, were available to the delegates. There were also displays from Junior Achievements South Africa, a non-government organisation focusing on youth developments; Our Rainbow Children Organisation, that deals with raising funds for schools; and Khula Enterprise Finance, a Department of Trade and Industry initiative that forms part of the government's small business promotion programme.
