Pretoria – The National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) is government’s response to job creation and skills development amongst the youth, says Rural Development and Land Reform Minister, Gugile Nkwinti.
Presenting his 2013 budget vote to the National Council of the Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday, Nkwinti said there were currently 12 881 participants in the NARYSEC programme, at various stages of their training.
Narysec was launched in 2011 with an initial 7 900 participants. To date, 4 500 participants have either received, or are in the process of completing training in various disciplines, mainly in the construction sector.
In the Eastern Cape, there are 1 388 female and 1 021 male participants; Free State 232 female, 148 male; Gauteng 1 171 female, 763 male; KwaZulu-Natal 931 female, 530 male; Limpopo 1 166 female, 793 male; Mpumalanga 572 female, 389 male; North West 735 female, 545 male; Northern Cape 582 female and 343 male.
Nkwinti said the youth have also participated in construction projects in Worcester (housing construction), Beaufort West (constructing a youth hub) and in Limpopo (brick making and paving).
Rural arts, craft
The department, through its support and investment of R3.5 million in rural arts and craft for skills, jobs and cultural ware, has facilitated the training of 990 women and youths across the country in various forms of arts, crafts and curios – ranging from beadwork to sewing.
“Their wares have, with the support of the Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, been displayed at the United Nations and India. During September this year, a cultural, arts and crafts exchange will be facilitated with Venezuela.
“This investment in arts, crafts and culture has provided our rural artists and crafters with both domestic and international markets, infrastructure and technical support,” said Nkwinti.
Challenges for rural development
According to the minister, an integrated approach to service delivery, both at government and community level, is core to the success of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP).
“Experience thus far indicates that this is not always possible.
“However, an improvement is being witnessed, this as the CRDP Management System is being institutionalised in both our department and some provinces,” he said.
Nkwinti said the department has, in terms of institutional reforms and transformation in advancing the CRDP, undertaken an exercise of institutional, policy and legislative reforms.
The CRDP is being rolled out in three phases, which is being done simultaneously.
The first phase is meeting basic human needs, including food security. The second phase focuses on rural enterprise development, while the third phase focuses on rural industries supported by local markets, credit facilities and infrastructure.
Nkwinti said important enabling legislation was being processed, some to establish new institutions in support of rural development and land reform to sharpen the mechanisms used.
The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill, the Geomatics Profession Bill, the Deeds Registration Amendment Bill and the Sectional Titles Amendment Bill are currently before Parliament.
Cabinet recently approved the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Bill, and the Property Valuation Bill (which establishes the Office of the Valuer -General), for public comment.
The Land Management Commission Bill, the Communal Property Associations Bill, and the Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Bill and the Communal Land Tenure Bill are being finalised, and will enter the Cabinet and Parliamentary systems during this month. – SAnews.gov.za
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