Voorsitter, die jeug van Suid-Afrika, insluitend di op die kontinent van Afrika, is deel van 'n geskiedkundige demografiese dividend wat Afrika, insluitend Suid-Afrika, f 'n geweldige ekonomiese hupstoot kan gee, f 'n geweldige faktor in die destabilisering van state, insluitend Suid-Afrika, kan wees. Europa, die VSA, asook in 'n mate nou China, kon di demografiese dividend effektief vir die skep van enorme ekonomiese groei en ontwikkeling tot voordeel van al hul burgers aanwend. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Adv A D ALBERTS: Chairperson, the youth of South Africa, including those on the continent of Africa, are part of an historic demographic dividend which can either give Africa, including South Africa, a powerful economic kick start or be an enormous factor in destabilising states, including South Africa. Europe, the USA, as well as to a degree now China, were able to utilise this demographic dividend effectively for the creation of enormous economic growth and development to the advantage of all their citizens.]
South Africa is struggling effectively to use its demographic dividend arising from the youth. Instead of super-economic growth, we are dealing with the following statistics: As much as 50% of employable persons under the age of 25 are unemployed - the under 25's constitute 30% of the total number of unemployed persons; 60% of school-leavers left without obtaining their matric; the average time spent looking for a job equals 806 days; and young people are competing in a pool of 6,5 million job seekers.
This struggle means that South Africa can in the foreseeable future face significant unrest stemming from frustrated youth. The answers are obvious. We need economic growth that creates jobs fast and sustainably. However, the stated statistics have an underlying reality of cause and effect that can be found in government policies that, after 20 years of democracy, simply do not work.
Die regering se beleid skiet in die volgende areas ver te kort. Eerstens, basiese onderwys is so swak dat diegene wat uit daardie stelsel kom, veral arm swart jong mense, beskou word as onaanstelbaar, behalwe as ongeskoolde arbeid. Dit is 'n nasionale skande en mens kan net wonder of die regering opsetlik die massas ongeskool wil hou ten einde hulle makliker te beheer. Die eerste stappe in die regstel hiervan is die instel van moedertaalonderrig, meer klem op Wiskunde en Wetenskap en die daarstel van hor slaagstandaarde. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The government's policy falls far short in the following areas. Firstly, basic education is so poor that those emerging from that system, especially poor black youths, are regarded as unemployable, except as unskilled labour. This is a national disgrace, and one can only wonder whether the government wants to keep the masses untrained so that it will be easier to keep them under control. The first steps in correcting this are to institute mother tongue education, to place more emphasis on mathematics and science and to introduce higher pass standards.]
Secondly, affirmative action and broad-based black economic empowerment, BBBEE, have become instruments that for the most part empower ANC cadres only. These instruments do not allow for growth, but merely redistribute the existing wealth. They merely replace the previous extractive regime with another one that is based on race.
The last time I checked, there was a difference between the mathematical functions of division and multiplication. Instead, the solution in unlocking wealth can start with government handing state-owned land to the poor, whether black or white.
Die hantering van die beleidsprobleme sal ekonomiese ontwikkeling moontlik maak deur middel van die jeug as demografiese dividend. Die vraag is egter of die regering die korrekte beleidsopsies gaan volg, wat bewese is en wat groei in 'n land soos Suid-Korea verseker het, of di wat na hel op aarde lei, soos in Noord-Korea. Die keuse is in u hande. Dankie, Voorsitter. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Tackling the policy problems will make economic development possible, by way of the youth as a demographic dividend. But the question is whether the government will follow the correct policy options, which have been proven and which have guaranteed growth in a country such as South Korea, or those which will lead to hell on earth, such as in North Korea. The choice lies in your hands. Thank you, Chairperson.]