(Subcommittee) NYDA Board Interviews Day 4

Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

31 July 2020
Chairperson: Ms C Ndaba (ANC); Co-Chairperson: Ms M Gillion (ANC, Western Cape)
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Meeting Summary

Video: (NCOP & NA) Interviews of Candidates – Filling of vacancies on the NYDA Board - Day 4         Part 2

The Joint Sub-Committee of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the Select Committee of Health and Social Services met for Day 4 of interviews to fill seven vacancies on the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Board following the expiry of the term of the previous Board in May. Five of the 30 shortlisted candidates were interviewed. 

Meeting report

[The responses to the interview questions can be found on the audio]

Candidate 1: Mr Kutloano Rakosa
The Chairperson made brief introductory remarks, explained the interview procedure and the social distancing protocols to be observed. The Chairperson handed over to Members to introduce themselves. She asked the candidate to tell them about himself and why he thought he would be a suitable candidate for appointment on the NYDA Board.

Ms A Maleka (ANC, Mpumalanga) asked how the candidate would ensure good governance at NYDA.

The Co-Chairperson said taking into consideration the current labour market situation in the country, what would the candidate recommend to ensure that public and private institutions prioritise the employment of young people who are both skilled and unskilled with the aim of reducing youth unemployment.

Mr M Bara (DA, Gauteng) asked the candidate if he thought the NYDA performs its mandate efficiently, if yes, how and if not, what are the shortcomings of the Agency and what would the candidate propose to strengthen this going forward.

The Chairperson noted that the candidate in his introduction said he had once worked in the Office of the Executive Mayor in Ekhuruleni as a Stakeholder Co-ordinator. He was also dealing with youth. She asked what the candidate did exactly. She said departments have a tendency of calling an imbizo but she was not sure these were fruitful experiences or if they were just talk shows. What initiatives did the candidate participate in to ensure that his municipality through its Economic Development department was empowering young people?

Mr E Nchabeleng (ANC, Limpopo) asked the candidate to point out tangible activities he participated in to empower young people. What was achieved by himself and the team of people who were involved in recycling projects. There is a general perception that young people belonging to a certain political party are the only ones who benefit from NYDA. He asked if the candidate's interventions where he currently worked benefitted all youth.

Ms F Masiko (ANC) asked if he thought the NYDA performs its mandate efficiently and effectively. If yes, how and if no, what are the shortcomings and what can be done to strengthen them? She asked the candidate to provide practical examples of what he would do, if appointed to the board.

Ms B Maluleke (ANC) asked what role he would play in the NYDA to ensure the unemployed youth find employment. She asked the candidate to provide practical examples of what could be done.

Ms T Mgweba (ANC) said the candidate indicated in his introduction that he had worked with stakeholders and civil society organisations in Ekhuruleni. She asked the candidate how he would ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the NYDA and benefit from its opportunities.

Ms M Khawula (EFF) asked a question that was not in English [59:38].

The Chairperson asked if the candidate had any questions, explained the selection process going forward and thanked him for availing himself for the interview.

Candidate 2: Mr Avela Mjajubana
The Chairperson explained the interview procedure and asked the candidate to tell them about himself and why he thought he would be a suitable candidate for appointment on the NYDA Board.

Mr L Mphithi (DA) said he was happy the candidate raised mental health issues as many candidates could not speak to this. He asked the candidate how he planned to address depression and support young people with mental health issues, if appointed to the board.

Mr Mphithi asked the candidate how he would assist the country in fighting the scourge of gender-based violence, if appointed to the board. He asked the candidate to provide practical examples.

The Chairperson asked the candidate how he could assist young people with peer pressure challenges.

Ms Mgweba said the SONA 2020 priorities spoke to the allocation of funds for youth unemployment. She asked the candidate which sectors of the economy should be focused on to create jobs and advance youth development.

Ms Khawula asked a question that was not in English [34:31].

The Co-Chairperson said the inequalities in the education system is coming through very strongly during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically that private schools are open and public schools are closed. She asked the candidate how he would address the inequalities of education, if appointed to the board.

Mr Nchabeleng asked the candidate what causes mental health issues amongst young people at universities. What type of programmes would the candidate introduce to create awareness about this, if appointed to the board. Does he think the NYDA Act needs to be amended and what input would he bring?

Ms Masiko said the candidate raised a very important point on the District Development Model. She asked how the NYDA could capitalise on the District Development Model in implementing its youth development programmes.

Ms Masiko asked a follow-up question. For a long time the NYDA has been accused of serving only a specific cohort of young people. What would the candidate do to change this perception, if appointed.

Ms Khawula asked a question that was not in English [1:14].

The Chairperson asked if the candidate had any questions, explained the selection process going forward and thanked him for availing himself for the interview.

Candidate 3: Mr Lwando Majiza
The Chairperson explained the interview procedure and asked the candidate to tell them about himself and why he thought he would be a suitable candidate for appointment on the NYDA Board.

Ms Maluleke asked the candidate to explain his understanding of the roles, responsibilities and mandate of the NYDA Board.

Mr Mphithi asked the candidate about policies that have been put in place to assist young people to gain skills which have had little success. How would the candidate improve these policies and assist young people to find employment, if appointed to the board.

Ms Masiko asked the candidate about his involvement in an NPO. What innovative ideas would the candidate bring to the NYDA to build the social fibre in ensuring there are moral regeneration programmes in communities targeting young people and ensuring they are socially active?

Mr Bara asked what can be done to change the negative perception of the NYDA amongst young people.

The Chairperson asked the candidate about when he worked at an NGO in trying to assist young people and if the NGO had an impact. If so, how?

Mr Mphithi asked a follow-up question saying there has been a strong narrative around the NYDA that funds are only disbursed to individuals connected to those inside the NYDA. He asked the candidate how he would change this narrative, if appointed to the board.

The Co-Chairperson asked the candidate about institutionalised racism in the country and the Black Lives Matter campaign. For example, in sports we still see institutionalised racism, despite being 25 years into democracy. She asked what the role of the NYDA should be in limiting institutionalised racism that still exists and how to ensure that transformation in sports is high on the agenda.

Ms Khawula asked a question that was not in English [50:25,56:09].

The Chairperson asked if the candidate had any questions, explained the selection process going forward and thanked him for availing himself for the interview.

Candidate 4: Ms Rerefilwe Lekgoathoane
The Co-Chairperson explained the interview procedure and asked the candidate to tell them about herself and why she thought she would be a suitable candidate for appointment on the NYDA Board.

Ms Masiko asked if the NYDA has performed its mandate efficiently. If so, how has this been done and if it has not, what can be improved? Youth from rural areas have not been able to access the NYDA, how would the candidate change this, if appointed to the board?

Ms Maleka said there are many in society suggesting the NYDA Act should be reviewed. What would the candidate suggest be amended in the Act so that it benefits young people?

Ms Maluleke said there was a perception amongst many young people that the NYDA is not serving all of them in the country. She asked the candidate, if appointed to the board, what she would do to eradicate this negative perception so that young people have trust in the NYDA.

Ms Mgweba asked how the NYDA could support young, unemployed people in rural areas and graduates who are still unemployed to digitalise their operations and ensure they obtain the required skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Mr Bara asked the candidate how the NYDA could improve its current work and emphasise issues  that confront young people such as unemployment. What steps would the candidate take to ensure visibility of the NYDA in rural areas, if appointed to the board.

Ms Khawula asked a question that was not in English [36:59].

Ms Khawula’s question was interpreted. Some of our youth are over-qualified which becomes a problem in the workplace. They also face challenges where they do not get the salaries they deserve because of their colour. What strategies would the candidate bring forward to ensure that engineers become manufacturers. How would the candidate help young engineers and eliminate discrimination in the engineering sector as these people suffer the most because of their colour.

Mr Mphithi asked the candidate how she would navigate the private and public sectors in creating opportunities for young people as this would be key if she were appointed to the board.

The Chairperson asked if the candidate had any questions, explained the selection process going forward and thanked her for availing herself for the interview.

Candidate 5: Ms Nonceba Mhlauli
The Co-Chairperson explained the interview procedure and asked the candidate to tell them about herself and why she thought she would be a suitable candidate for appointment on the NYDA Board.

Mr Nchabeleng asked the candidate what mechanisms from a policy and an implementation perspective that is outside of the NYDA could be used to support the youth and reduce youth unemployment.

Ms Masiko asked the candidate what she understood to be the principles that define good governance and what she would do to enhance the NYDA’s performance according to these principles, if appointed.

The Chairperson asked the candidate about scrapping the requirement forwork experience for new graduates wishing to enter the workplace. How would the candidate ensure that this policy is implemented, if appointed to the board.

Ms Khawula asked a question that was not in English [35:44].

Ms Mgweba asked what the candidate thought the shortcomings of the NYDA were.

The Chairperson asked what was wrong, if South Africa was a welfare state, and why young people stayed at home and were unemployed. Some youth who cannot speak English in the workplace are disadvantaged. She asked what was lacking and how the gap could be closed. [Poor sound made the rest of the question inaudible].

Mr Mphithi asked about the NYDA measuring its success by its outputs as opposed to its impact. He asked how the candidate would make an impact on the NYDA Board and ensure implementation if appointed. He asked her to focus on TVET colleges when she answered the question as TVET colleges were falling apart and the students there did not have a voice or could find expression about youth development.

The Chairperson asked if the candidate had any questions, explained the selection process going forward and thanked her for availing herself for the interview.

The Committee will meet again for deliberations on the interviews on 4 August 2020.

The meeting was adjourned.

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