Eliminating youth unemployment and skills development through the provision of funding.
This is what new Eastern Cape National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) regional manager Lufefe Mkutu hopes to achieve.
Mkutu, 30, started his job on Monday and will co-ordinate the agency’s work in the province.
Born and raised in Kwazakhele, Mkutu matriculated from Khumbulani High School and holds a BTech in industrial engineering from Nelson Mandela University.
He is a former student leader and has worked for companies such as Accenture and General Motors as a business analyst and industrial engineer respectively.
In 2019, he was appointed as a media liaison officer for the Eastern Cape social development MEC.
Mkutu said his position at the NYDA had been vacant and this had negatively affected the agency in co-ordinating its work.
“It is important for the agency to adopt a more activist posture and build strategic partnerships with different youth organisations and the private sector to build more meaningful relationships,” he said.
“We will engage the private sector to open up its value chains and nurture young people so that young people can participate, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, ICT, maritime and engineering.”
Mkutu said the incubators for youth development enterprises were critical in developing skills and supporting youth entrepreneurs.
“We need to collaborate with the TVET sector and universities to help with research and innovation and to build the necessary skills set so that we develop key skills and unlock opportunities for youth entrepreneurs.”
He said there was nothing stopping the provincial or national governments from having a youth quota in procurement processes.
“The issue of unemployment is a societal problem and therefore needs society to collectively engage and grapple with this pandemic.
“The private sector has a key role to play in providing support and investing in youth entrepreneurship.
He said the province had a young population, meaning there was capacity to build a more productive provincial economy.
“In the next month or so I will be meeting youth organisations, private businesses and technical vocational education & training colleges.
“Thereafter it will be universities and other development agencies, business chambers and different stakeholders to develop a clear plan for youth development in our province.”
HeraldLIVE