NYDA Amendment Bill to address challenges of unemployment

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The amendments enhance the operational effectiveness of the NYDA in expanding its reach and increasing responsiveness to young people’s needs.

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said the youth constitute nearly a third of the South African population and implementation of the Bill will go far in contributing towards building a highly skilled labour force and increasing support for entrepreneurship.

“This will contribute towards addressing the triple developmental challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment,” Lamola said.

The NYDA is a South African-based agency established primarily to tackle challenges that the nation’s youth are faced with. It was established by an Act of parliament, Act no 54 of 2008.

The agency derives its mandate from legislative frameworks such as the NYDA Act (54 of 2008), the National Youth Policy (2009-2014) and the draft Integrated Youth Development Strategy as adopted by the Youth Convention of 2006.

The institution was established to be a single, unitary structure, established to address youth development issues at national, provincial and local government level.