Some pretty powerful words and positive ones at that from out Deputy President! In fact, in my opinion she make more sense than Mbeki, most of the time!
I would like to add that these basic principals should not just be aimed at the youth at some point in their lives, but something that should be taught in every household and every school room through out the country.
Accountability and responsibility is something that can and should be taught as an ongoing excercise to children from the cradle and upwards. The moral fibre of our children is at risk, not only here in South Africa, but I suspect - all over the world.
Well done Phumzile!
Phumzile urges youth to stop playing the fool
Graeme Hosken
January 29 2007 at 07:06AM
In an impassioned plea Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Sunday appealed to the country's youth to take charge of their lives in order to help turn South Africa into a morally sound country. The appeal was made to more than 4 000 youngsters at a Pretoria church service. The service was held to commemorate the arrival of the World Youth Cross in South Africa. The cross, which arrived last week after journeying from Europe through Africa, is due to leave for Australia this week where it will arrive in Sydney in time for World Youth Day. Speaking at the service, Mlambo-Ngcuka said it was vital for South Africa's children to take charge of their lives if the country was to prosper and become "morally sound".
'By taking charge of one's life one has to take responsibility for one's actions'
'By taking charge of one's life one has to take responsibility for one's actions'
"By taking charge of one's life one has to take responsibility for one's actions. To do this you children need to realise that you are this country's future and for South Africa to succeed and fight scourges such as unemployment and HIV and Aids you have to take responsibility for your lives," Mlambo-Ngcuka said. Asking those who attended the service to pledge to empower themselves by becoming morally sound, Mlambo-Ngcuka said to defeat the HIV and Aids pandemic people needed to make a commitment to remain faithful to their partners, refrain from having multiple sexual relationships and to ensure that, if infected with the virus, they would not spread it to others.
Speaking on unemployment and skills development, Mlambo-Ngcuka said that by 2010 South Africa would need 50 000 artisans such as electricians, plumbers and bricklayers."It is important that you empower yourselves by studying and obtaining these necessary skills so that you can help this country develop into a prosperous nation. "You, the youth, must become involved in national youth service programmes which will help you gain vitally needed career skills. These skills can be obtained by becoming involved in community projects such as home-based care initiatives, adult education programmes and the building of houses.
'No longer tolerate our sisters, our brothers, our mothers and our fathers being murdered'
"It is our desire that by running such community service programmes there will not be a young person in the next five years who has not been empowered with desperately needed skills or given back to the community," Mlambo-Ngcuka said. She urged the youth to spread the message of the importance of moral regeneration if South Africa was to be free from the grip of criminals, who were in the minority.
"It is vital that we root out those who are trying to plunge South Africa into chaos. By keeping quiet about crimes, be they murders or the abuse of women and children, you are just as guilty as the criminals themselves."It is about time that we have a proper crime reporting system where this country's youth stand up and say enough is enough, where they say no more, where they say they will no longer tolerate our sisters, our brothers, our mothers and our fathers being murdered and maimed."
It is about time that the youth stand up and take charge of their nation and turn it into the country that it should be, a South Africa that is peace-loving and prosperous," she said.
This article was originally published on page 3 of Pretoria News on January 29, 2007
This article was originally published on page 3 of Pretoria News on January 29, 2007
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