NYDA welcomes consideration of more funding by Parliament

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) wishes to condemn the misleading statements made by a certain MP of the Democratic Alliance (DA) referring to a decision to close down the Agency. This could not be further from the truth. No such decision exists and the DA is once again resorting to out-of-context information, inaccuracies and bald-faced lies to paint a false picture of Parliament's attitude towards the NYDA.

We welcome the consideration of a R200 million increase to our existing budget based on our progress thus far in repositioning the Agency. The NYDA is expected to table the turnaround strategy for the next three to five years to Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, The Honourable Buti Manamela who will then table the strategy to Parliament for consideration.

"We were very encouraged and motivated after the briefing to the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration as well as Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation. The committee was impressed with our progress thus far to the extent that an opportunity was created for us to table our turnaround strategy and motivate for more funding to the tune of R200 million in the next financial year. Young people have been asking for more support from the NYDA and this money will be used to support an extra 40 000 more youth with business grants, scholarships, second chance opportunities for struggling matriculants and training programmes for young artisans," says Yershen Pillay, NYDA Executive Chairperson.

It is quite unfortunate that the DA makes no reference to the positive trajectory of the NYDA or the positive support from the majority of members in the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration as well as Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation.

The DA failed to mention the positive feedback from Members of Parliament to the facts contained in the Annual Report clearly indicating the transformation that has taken place at the NYDA in the last financial year. The Portfolio Committee welcomed the report and was impressed by our overall performance of 86%. They complimented us for achieving 24 out of the 28 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which they had approved for us. Reference was also made to the fact that the NYDA overachieved in 15 KPIs and the successful piloting of the NYDA Grant Programme and the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund. The committee expressed satisfaction with the unqualified audit opinion received from the Auditor General.

"We further welcome the remarks made by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee that the NYDA must be empowered with the appropriate tools to carry out its mandate and therefore more long term funding is necessary."

Statement issued by Yershen Pillay, NYDA Executive Chairperson, October 16 2014

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