The Makana Youth Forum will ask the municipality for R2 million to establish a Makana Youth Council. This resolution was one of the outcomes of a two-day youth summit last weekend, where about 50 young people from the ANC, ANC Youth League, South African Students Congress and some Makana municipality councillors met in the Extension 9 hall to elect an interim Makana Youth Council and establish ward youth forums.

The Makana Youth Forum will ask the municipality for R2 million to establish a Makana Youth Council. This resolution was one of the outcomes of a two-day youth summit last weekend, where about 50 young people from the ANC, ANC Youth League, South African Students Congress and some Makana municipality councillors met in the Extension 9 hall to elect an interim Makana Youth Council and establish ward youth forums.

Makana youth coordinator Sicelo Gqeke said the interim youth council elected on Saturday would seek to ensure that youth issues were reflected in the municipality's integrated development planning processes.

Another purpose of the weekend's summit, Gqeke said, was to come up with clear programmes for areas in which Makana's youth need help. Today its going to be me, Councillor Mabhuti Matyumza and the interim youth council, Gqeke told Grocott's Mail in an interview on Monday.

We will meet with the Makana Mayor Zamuxolo Peter to present resolutions of that summit to him. After that an item will be made and it will be in the Council agenda. On Friday at the opening of the summit, Makana Mayor Zamuxolo Peter applauded the initiative, but stressed his concern over Makana youth who abuse drugs and miss job opportunities that may be found in this area.

Peter said people go to the municipality and ask for jobs. People should not always go to the municipality and complain about having no jobs. You must go to the municipality with something and say you want to be assisted with. We have to create a conducive environment to develop the young people of Makana, Peter said.

Other representatives from the Makana municipality were the newly appointed acting municipal manager Mandisi Planga and director for local economic development in the municipality, Riana Meiring. Matyumza told the mayor that failure of invited councillors and municipal officials to attend the summit was of concern.

"Even if it was Friday, the councillors and officials invited should have been here. I must say this in front of the media. There were (some among the) municipal officials who wanted this to fail," said Matyumza. The interim Council comprises Bongani Tsana, Andile Hoyi, Xolile Madinda, Siyabulela Sodladla, Rudi Opperman, Zukiswa Mali, Xolelwa Yoli and Babalwa Ralo.

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