YOUTH DAY MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR
16 June is celebrated as Youth Day in South Africa. As we commemorate the 48th anniversary of the 1976 Youth and all young people who came after to sacrifice with their lives in achieving the Ideals of a South Africa free from a Colonial Apartheid regime.
Today, we once again take a moment to salute the courage and undying spirit of millions of young people across the length and breadth of our country for paying the ultimate price.
The 2024 Youth Month Programs are correctly celebrated under the theme: “Actively Embracing the Socio-Economic Gains of Our Democracy”, to enable us to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the challenges of youth development that still lie ahead.
Our 30 years of democracy have brought about significant strides in the socio-economic development space including culture and sports, and thus opening the doors of opportunities for young people.
This democracy has allowed us to progressively build a society where every young person can ultimately have an equal opportunity to thrive, wherein their talents are nurtured irrespective of their historical background.
Our youth are the heartbeat of our city, their dreams, aspirations, and energy shape the future of a society.
Today, we celebrate their resilience, their passion, and their potential. However, as indicated earlier on, we must accept that there is still much work to be done, many of our young people still face barriers to access meaningful empowerment opportunities.
As the Executive Mayor, I am devoted to creating opportunities for our youth, opportunities for education and skills development, together with you facilitate conducive environment to stimulate local inclusive economic growth and development through a Resilient Investment Promotion Strategy because our collective ability to attract more investment into our Municipality is both the precursor and a game changer in our Youth Development Strategy.
The leadership collective of our Municipality remains committed to listening to your concerns, and to create platforms which can amplify your voices, and to work together in addressing the challenges you are facing as young people of Emalahleni.
Together, we are determined to consciously engage our youth in strategic decision making processes that affects their lives, to empower them with the life skills and resources they need to succeed, in an environment where their voices are heard and valued.
Importantly, Let us build a city where every dream is possible, and every voice is heard.
Happy Youth Day, and thank you for inspiring us all.
YOUTH IS THE FUTURE ! FUTURE IS THE YOUTH !
Cllr. Leah MabuzaExecutive Mayor
