Mayor urges support for Kokstad youth employment initiative

Greater Kokstad Municipality Mayor Lwanda Madikizela demands fair youth employment opportunities amid allegations of favouritism in the municipality’s R900 000 learnership programme.

Kokstad Mayor Lwanda Madikizela has warned that anyone obstructing the municipality’s efforts to create employment opportunities for local young people must either support the initiative or step aside.

He was speaking during the Greater Kokstad Municipality’s final council meeting before the November 4 local government elections, where councillors debated a R900 000 allocation for learnership programmes.

Madikizela said unemployed young people were repeatedly approaching councillors for help, particularly because many entry-level jobs required work experience and valid driving licences.

“The matter is simple and straightforward. Anyone who seeks to undermine this agenda must either get on board or step aside,” he said.

He called for learnerships and youth development programmes that would equip young people with practical skills, qualifications and workplace experience to improve their chances of finding employment.

The debate was accompanied by allegations that some municipal managers were attempting to influence the programmes to benefit relatives, including by helping them meet residency requirements. The allegations have not been established as findings of wrongdoing.

Madikizela said unemployment and hunger were among the main concerns raised by residents during the election campaign.

“As we move from household to household during the campaign trail, people are crying out for employment opportunities and speaking about hunger. Yet there are people who want to pursue their own agendas by bringing in their own people or relatives from other areas,” he said in isiZulu.

Municipal Public Accounts Committee chairperson Cllr Makhuze Hlakanyana called for cooperation to ensure local young people benefited from available opportunities.

Cllr Phumzile Nocanda supported the objective but cautioned that the municipality did not have a specific policy expressly providing for preferential treatment of local residents in the programmes under discussion.

The debate highlighted the need to balance the municipality’s commitment to youth development with the policies and legal requirements governing the selection of beneficiaries.

Youth Council chairperson Siseko Mdladla backed Madikizela, saying young people needed leaders who understood the challenges they faced.

“It is for this reason that, as young people, we continue to advocate for young people to assume leadership positions, because they understand the plight of unemployment facing young people,” Mdladla said.

“We want our Mayor Madikizela, one of the youngest mayors, to continue being the mayor,” he added.

Madikizela also identified inequality, crime, the killing of children and gender-based violence as challenges facing the next municipal administration.

He said Kokstad had undergone significant development despite the municipality’s limited financial resources.

Council Speaker Bheki Nozaza reflected on his journey in local government, thanking councillors for their support and guidance. He praised the council for working across political differences and acknowledged Madikizela, Municipal Manager Sipho Zwane and municipal staff for their cooperation.