Youth Day Commemoration Message

I bring the greetings of our municipality to the whole community of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Municipality, as well as all our people throughout the country, especially the youth, who are also celebrating this important day in our national calendar.

As we celebrate this Youth Day, we must repeat the message that the nation expects the youth of today to follow in the footsteps of the 1976 youth and become agents of change, this time in the continuing struggle to achieve the goal of a better place for all our people.We have the common responsibility always to recall the events of 1976 so that the bravery and sacrifices of that generation of young people should serve as an inspiration to the youth of today to work hard to contribute to the solution of the challenges they and our nation confront.

The youth of 1976 used stones and barricades against repressive forces, today’s youth should use education and skills to fight poverty and unemployment. Whereas the youth of 1976 used their energies to mobilise and campaign against apartheid, the youth of 2020 should use their talents to mobilise and campaign against crime and against drugs.As young people today, the young lions, we must be at the forefront of the struggle to defeat violence against and the rape of women and children.

The 2020 Youth Month is commemorated under the theme “Youth Power: Growing South Africa together in the period of Covid-19”.
The youth of 1976 fought an oppressive regime, therefore it is incumbent upon the youth of 2020 to work together to fight and conquer the invincible covid-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, we encourage our youth to remain resolute and work with government to overcome these challenges.

The youth of 2020 have been called upon to fight a much more silent war, the corona virus pandemic and help to rebuild a society post COVID-19. We are aware of the effect of the pandemic on all of the society, and we are acutely aware of its negative impact on youth employment.

In these uncertain times, your voices as young people become more important than ever before. As we try and transition to a better world, you as young people will be the leaders of that world, and therefore, this is probably the most important June month that will be commemorated in our democratic history. 
A new tomorrow is on the horizon, bringing with it the promise of a country of shared prosperity, of equal opportunity for all, and a country where you, the youth, are its greatest asset.

I thank you. 
Her Worship the Mayor

Cllr P.N Mncwabe