Mr Speaker, the PSPPD's research facility has funded and commissioned papers into both youth unemployment and the youth wage subsidy proposal. These are matters which are not only high on the programme's agenda, but also no doubt high on the Deputy President's agenda, as the political head of the war on poverty campaign.
However, the government continues to stall on the implementation of the much-needed youth wage subsidy. Had the wage subsidy been implemented on 1 April 2010 it could have benefited almost 225 000 unemployed young people thus far. With every day that passes, the delay in implementing the wage subsidy denies even more young South Africans the chance to move out of poverty and into meaningful employment.
Mr Speaker, will the Deputy President tell us whether the government will implement the youth wage subsidy by the target date set by the National Treasury of 1 April 2012? If not, what is its justification for denying hundreds and thousands more young South Africans access to work opportunities? Thank you. [Applause.]