Deputy President Mashatile together with Department of Defence and DWYPD to launch the SA National Service Institute

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will tomorrow, 21 May 2024, together with the Department of Defence and the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), launch the National Youth Service Initiative aimed at confronting the approximately 3,6 million youth unemployment in South Africa. 

The establishment of SANSI aims to develop, capacitate, and empower young unemployed TVET and university graduates through a  purposeful and smooth skills-to-industry pipeline that will lead to innovative entrepreneurship and long-term, sustainable employment. 

It is envisaged that the initiative will transform young people into courageous agents of change who will tackle the country’s most pressing issues in the following strategic work streams: Food and Agricultural Value Chain Commercialisation; Maritime and Oceans Economy; Engineering and Construction; Manufacturing and Infrastructure Rollout; as well as the skills of the future, which include the digital technologies and electronics. 

The joint initiative by the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will rally all of Government and all of society behind the national coordinated effort to reinforce the ongoing war against youth unemployment.

Deputy President Mashatile will be joined by Ministers Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Thandi Modise of DWYPD and Department of Defence, respectively, as well as representatives from the public and private sectors who have partnered with Government on this initiative. 

Members of the media are invited to cover the event as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 21 May 2024
Time: 09h00 - 12h00
Venue: CSIR International Conference Centre, Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840 or Mr Cassius Selala on Cassius.Selala@dwypd.gov.za or 060 534 0672

Issued jointly by: The Presidency and the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
Pretoria