Mid Term Report - Gauteng Online

to help drive the youth development agenda of theprovincial government.The promotion of youth job creation and othereconomic opportunities for the youth has been akey focus. This has been through, amongst others,the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP), CommunityDevelopment Workers, the Expanded Public WorksProgramme, the provision of bursaries, learnershipsand internships, provincial government contracts, aswell as other skills development and training opportunities,with an important focus on opportunities forunemployed graduates.Through the GEP, the province will ensure that by theend of the 2007/8 financial year, 20% of fundinggoes to support youth-led job creation activities andthe establishment of youth and women led co-operativesin Gauteng’s six regions as well as payingattention to the provision of financial support toSMMEs.The rolling out of learnership and internship programmesin line with the undertakings at the Growthand Development Summit has begun, with increasedfocus placed on Further Education and Training Collegesand Human Resource Development.The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC)has given both formal and vocational training in theautomotive industry to previously unemployed youths.These youths have been prepared for full-time employmentin the sector.In addition, the provincial Agricultural DevelopmentStrategy aims to bring previously disadvantagedsections of the population, including youth, womenand the unemployed into the entire value chain ofagriculture.An audit on youth development programmes withinthe provincial government was completed in 2006.This will serve as the basis for further enhancement ofyouth development mainstreaming.ChildrenAs part of its efforts to make Gauteng a province fitfor children, the Gauteng government introduced theBana Pele programme. This is a package of servicesaimed at improving the lives of the poorest and mostvulnerable children in the province.The aim of Bana Pele is to integrate existing servicesso that they can be accessed at one point of entry.Through Bana Pele, children who receive the childsupport grant will also receive free health care, freescreening for the early detection of disabilities andspecial needs and free psycho-social support fromworkers. Children at schools in the very poorest communitieswill be exempted from paying school feesand will receive free scholar transport and free mealsat school. Those going into grade one will receivefree school uniforms. Since the launch of the coordinatedBana Pele programme in 2005, at least 38231children have benefited from this programme.Social crime preventionWhile crime is still unacceptably high, significantstrides have been made in the fight against crime,including in social crime prevention. This has beenthe result of an integrated approach and collabora-50 • Midterm Report - 2004/06