Local youth empowered at Port Shepstone summit
Presentations on available bursaries, internships, opportunities in the construction and property sector were made by speakers from various departments.
In a bid to empower local youth in construction and property management, Human Settlements and Public Works MEC Peggy Nkonyeni recently hosted a one-day youth summit at the Port Shepstone Civic Centre.
Presentations on available bursaries, internships, opportunities in the construction and property sector were made by speakers from various departments.
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According to the MEC, the summit was aimed at bringing positive change to local youths through training, education and business opportunities.
“Infrastructure development is a key driver of the economy and an area in which our young people deserve a much larger stake,” she said.
During the summit, it was noted that over 127 contracts were awarded to youths between the ages of 18 and 35 in the 2018/9 fiscal year.
These projects tally up to R52- million in the overall context of a budget exceeding R3-billion.
The MEC said this was also an opportunity for the department to engage with the youth about their expectations and frustrations and unnecessary red tape in these sectors.
Youth delegates who attended the summit said it was an informative experience for all novice youths within the construction and property sector.
“We were encouraged to look for opportunities to empower ourselves and to break the cycle of poverty through education and maximising every opportunity to get to where we want to be,” said Mbali Gumede.
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