Vuk’uzenzele Newspaper had the opportunity to engage young people through its Vuk Talks initiative which was set under the theme of encouraging the youth to join the artisanship sector.
Anchored on the theme ‘Decade of the Artisan’ the Vuk Talks was held at the Ehlanzeni Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) College in kaMaqhekeza, Mpumalanga on the 25th of May.
Vuk Talks is a quarterly community engagement that is carried out by Vuk’uzenzele newspaper whereby the publication interacts with communities, readers and organisations that advance community development.
The Decade of the Artisan is an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training which promotes artisanship as a career of choice for young people. The department aims to produce 30 000 qualified artisans per year.
The theme sparked interest in how young people can embrace the idea of entrepreneurship within the artisanship sector.
The Vuk Talks started with a vibrant youth engagement session which included speakers from the artisan space and the Ehlanzeni TVET College officials.
Local radio station RISE fm was also the media partner for the event.
Tembo Engineering owner, Shocky Nengovhela, encouraged the youth to approach their studies with a view to becoming employers.
“We are a generation of [people with an] education with no jobs. We wanted to go to school to get jobs. Can we go to school to create jobs now. Can we aim to be self-employed or to be employers,” she said.
Nengovhela, who holds a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Tshwane University of Technology, said she gave up her job to chase her dream of leading a mechanical engineering company.
Her company currently employs 12 artisans.
Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Acting Director-General Michael Currin said the events took place at an opportune time, a few days before the 2023 Youth Month.
“Government understands the challenges faced by the youth. We are listening and employing all possible means to ensure that even in the face of the shrinking job market, young people are empowered to do something to support themselves and their families. We aim to build a network of young people who are driving change in their communities,” said Currin.
Bringing services to the people
Meanwhile, the GCIS also held a Government Exhibition Day for the community of KaMaqhekeza.
The Vuk Talks and the Government Exhibition Day where held over two days.
The Government Exhibition Day was held on the 26th of May, it is also held quarterly. Both events are part of government’s commitment to ensure that South African citizens are empowered with government information.
The Government Exhibition had more than 20 government departments and agencies that brought their services to the people of KaMaqhekeza.
There was a positive response to the event as community members gathered in their numbers to receive government services.
The mobile trucks from the Department of Home Affairs and Department of Employment and Labour had people lined up from the morning to the afternoon.
Ntombi Mavimbela, a resident of KaMaqhekeza, was pleased to have received services in her community.
“I am very happy that I get to be helped by the Department of Home Affairs and Unemployment Insurance Fund from the Department of Labour in one day,” said an excited Mavimbela.
Currin also added that KaMaqhekeza has a high youth unemployment rate, with Youth Month approaching government wants to ensure that the youth are eqquiped with information.
"We want to ensure that we leave no one behind and information and services reach the people where they are,” concluded Currin.
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