President Jacob Zuma calls on business to support the Award in South Africa

President Jacob Zuma has called upon the support of business to promote and extend the Award in South Africa. Speaking at the National Assembly, the President called upon business to support The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment (the Award in South Africa), highlighting the contribution young people make to South Africa and beyond. Reflecting on South Africa’s nation building post apartheid, President Zuma highlighted the significant role young people play in continuing to eradicate ‘the legacy of colonial oppression and apartheid’. “The older generation has taken the country thus far to a non-racial, democratic and non-sexist society,” he said. “The youth must prepare themselves for hard work to make this a prosperous society.”

Pledging support to the National Youth Development Agency in its efforts of promoting youth development, employment, entrepreneurship and skills development, the President went on to talk about the impact of the President’s Award for Youth Empowerment, to which he is Patron-in-Chief. “There are currently 10,000 young people actively involved in the Award Programme in the country. Last week two Gold Award holders, Tinashe Chandauka and Duncan Van Niekerk, joined 200 other young people in the Youth Parliament to contribute to the robust debates of the day. We encourage the private sector to support the Programme given its impact around the country.”