The Sunday News
Thulani Ndlovu Sunday News Correspondent
GOVERNMENT should sanction companies that win tenders in Bulawayo and then import labour from Harare instead of employing local youths.
Zanu-PF Bulawayo Youth League Secretary for Indigenisation and Empowerment, Cde Davis Mhambi, said this while speaking at the Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province Inter-city District Youth Conference on Zim Asset held at Davis Hall in Makokoba yesterday.
He said the arrogance displayed by the Harare companies renovating White City Stadium for the Zone Six Youth Games had angered party youths.
“While Zim Asset speaks of employment creation for locals, we are saddened by recent developments in reference to the issuance of tenders for the Zone Six Youth Games to companies from Harare at the expense of Bulawayo companies.
“Adding insult to injury, we are further angered by the supreme arrogance exhibited by these companies who have the audacity to import labour from Harare in the face of our unemployed Bulawayo youths,” he said.
Furthermore, the Youth League demanded that all companies that win tenders in Bulawayo should commit to employing local youths before they are awarded the tenders.
“We demand that we the youth of Bulawayo be employed as a matter of condition, and we call on party leadership’s hasty intervention in this regard. Employment of locals is the Zim Asset way,” said Cde Mhambi.
He called on Government to provide more funds to the youth for Zim Asset to be a success story.
“While we appreciate the initiatives taken by Government thus far by unveiling the funding of the youth through the Youth Fund, it is treacherous to Zim Asset because we consider this youth fund as nowhere near adequate.
“Perhaps Government needs to consider availing a Youth Development Levy that sources funding through the national fiscus by targeting certain sectors of the economy whose products negatively affect youth development and the future of this country.
“These sectors include among others, the alcohol manufacturing, the tobacco processing and the cigarrete manufacturing sectors. We can also go a step further and levy sectors in the mining industries that are exporting our natural resources without any value addition as we see happening to our platinum and diamonds.”
Moreover, the Youth League endorsed a resolution by the Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Minister Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo to extend the Bulawayo boundary by a 40km radius.
“We remain a generation that has no or very little land, housing and employment opportunities to speak of. Surely as a majority demographic of this country, we are a majority that has to be considered when it comes to any future land redistribution and housing exercises if any meaningful progress is to be made on Zim Asset.”
“As the youth of Bulawayo we rally behind our Minister of State’s initiative of extending the boundary of Bulawayo by a 40km radius. We not only look forward to benefiting from this initiative but the youth also stand ready to participate in any committees that avail opportunities for the people and particularly the youth of Bulawayo in the form of land for property development, farming and mining,” Cde Mhambi said.
Speaking at the same event, Zanu-PF Politburo member and Secretary for the Youth, Cde Absolom Sikhosana encouraged youths to come up with initiatives that create employment if they are to be at the forefront of Zim Asset development.
“You are the best employer, pool your ideas and come up with one strong initiative. For Zim Asset to be a success you have to come up with solutions that create employment.
“The moment you create employment you are pushing the Zim Asset agenda. If you continue on the journey of describing problems you will succumb to pressure. In a nutshell think from the angle of what you can do to sustain yourself,” said Cde Sikhosana.
He added that youths should continue to fight, but they should put extra effort as they were fighting a system not individuals.
“Youths are the vanguard of the people. There is no hero who does easy things, for you to be a hero you have to overcome great obstacles. It’s time to stand up and fight. We are not fighting an individual but a system. A system of sanctions.”
However, Zanu-PF Poliburo member and Senator Angeline Masuku chastised the youth for laziness, complaining against waiting for Government handouts.
“Zim Asset speaks about poverty alleviation. Poverty is in the mind. Do not say you are poor, own up and start thinking solutions for yourself. Leaders are there to assist you and the government is there to work as facilitators for your prosperity not do things for you,” said Cde Masuku.
The conference was also attended by Central Committee Members and National Women’s League and provincial members.
