09 Sep 2018

Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development Mr Dikgang Makgalemele has reiterated government’s intention to support the youth.

Minister Makgalemele, who was addressing a kgotla meeting in Rakops recently, said youth development and empowerment was possible as he highlighted the introduced affirmative action for the young generation.

He indicated that the youth were exempted from paying lease fees for ploughing fields and farms whilst payment for commercial plots if successful was done on instalment basis.

Lease fees for the youth, he said, was granted a five year grace period.

Mr Makgalemele stated that 20 per cent of businesses have been reserved for the youth, women and the disabled.

He added that 30 per cent of construction and maintenance jobs have also been reserved for the youth as well as fire breakers and de-bushing.

He noted that the youth were only expected to pay 50 per cent to secure tender documents.

Furthermore, he advised the youth to seek funding from other government departments advising them to group themselves to form a cooperative and apply for funding at Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency.

He said there should be a link between the youth and culture, stating that culture could be used for business opportunities such as cultural villages to create employment opportunities.

In addition he indicated that increasing the youth age limit would not be possible advising those who fell out of the youth age bracket to try other funding agencies like CEDA, LIMID and grants from the American embassy.

He urged them to come up with 10 projects viable in their village.

He stated that Rakops mini stadium had experienced some delays but noted that the issue had been addressed saying the environmental impact assessment study would be undertaken.

The youth coordinator, Mr Pako Sekuku called for the upgrading of Rakops library which he said was on a level of a reading room not library.

Mr Sekuku also said in order to process payment for constituency groups surety form was supposed to be filled hence the delay in payments as some groups failed to fill them.

He stated that there was only one vehicle in Boteti West for the ministry office based in Xere, saying they sourced vehicles from Letlhakane in times of need.

The minister was responding to the VDC chairperson, Mr Batsweletse Kgagamedi who had requested that construction of the mini stadium to be expedited.

Mr Kgagamedi also complained that there was shortage of transport which hampered efficient monitoring of projects.

He also complained that Boteti was broad and widely spread noting that two officers were insufficient to service the whole area.He complained that 133 youths applied for Youth Development Fund but only 20 were funded, calling for increment of the fund to cover a large number of applicants.

Tsienyane councillor Ms Batoli Manyuni suggested that groups from remote area dwellers should be motivated to continue participating during competitions. Ends