So, Kurt Cobain says: "The duty of youth is to challenge corruption."
Therefore, I, Johni Bontle Steenkamp, am standing here in front of you today, a 27-year-old member of the youth of South Africa, and I am telling you that the NYDA is squandering money while South Africa's youth is desperately in need of help as they are living in poverty.
Ons soek meer werk vir ons jong mense! Ons soek regte ontwikkeling en ons eis meer beurse! [We want more jobs for our young people! We want proper development, and we demand more bursaries!]
We want more skills development! We want better schools! We want better lives! We do not want the NYDA! [Interjections.]
I want to share with you a vision for a better future for young people, a future where we do not just talk and make promises, but where we deliver and implement a more beautiful future, as set out in the National Development Plan, NDP, and echoed by our Bokamoso Bo Bontle initiative.
We call on President Zuma's administration to enact the NDP by funding and enabling a high-quality education system by increasing National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, to R16 billion. We could easily afford this if government just stops wasting money on fancy cars and elaborate parties, and cuts corruption. We must ensure that every school delivers quality basic education by having the annual national assessments of Grades 3 to 9 externally administered and marked. We must also increase the number of internships and training opportunities for the youth to R1 million per year by partnering with the business community of South Africa.
President Zuma, die tyd het gekom om tot aksie oor te gaan! Die uitvoerende raad van die Nasionale Jeugontwikkelingsagentskap moet afgedank word. Die geld moet aangewend word waar dit 'n werklike verskil vir die jeug kan maak - vir alle jeug van Suid-Afrika! Ons moet die geld aan beurse, ondersteuning vir jong entrepreneurs, internskappe, vaardigheidsontwikkeling en die jeugloonsubsidie bestee. [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[President Zuma, the time has come to take action! The executive board of the National Youth Development Agency should be fired. The money should be used where it will really make a difference to the youth - to all the youth of South Africa! We have to spend the money on bursaries, support for young entrepreneurs, internships, skills development, and the youth wage subsidy. [Interjections.]]
Wait, this is our day! Stop talking about it and start making that beautiful future happen! Thank you. [Applause.]