Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts: Step Up 2 a Green Start-Up National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards

Programme Director, 
Sponsors of the Programme, Primestar
Corporate Sector Representatives,
Esteemed Guests, the Entrepreneurs
Members of the Media

Good morning,

I am honoured to be participating in the Step Up 2 a Green Start-Up National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards.

Our youth, the entrepreneurs of today, are the future leaders and business executives of tomorrow. As we take a moment to celebrate our successes, it's crucial to maintain, and even intensify, our efforts. Our youth are hungry for opportunities, and I dare say, patience is certainly not their virtue. 

As we celebrate the 10-year journey of Primestars’ Step Up 2 a Green Start-Up, we reflect on the importance of dedication, perseverance, patience, and the ability to stay on course while refining where necessary. This initiative is a testament to the value of persistence. Primestars’ vision of seeing our youth not just as job seekers but as job creators is both refreshing and essential, as we guide young minds to make informed decisions.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has several initiatives dedicated to grow the cadre of future business leaders and a well skilled future workforce for the sector. The Department has provided workplace on-the-job training to unemployed graduates and youth through its internship and learnership programmes. The Public sector has broadly supported internships programme. After participating in these training programmes, many young people have been successful in securing jobs both within the public and the private sectors. The internship initiative has spanned a period of approximately 20 years.

Building interest and influencing career choices is of importance. Undertaking outreach and awareness on careers which the environment sector provides, is an activity which the Department engages on in partnership with TVET colleges, the community, Education and Training colleges, universities, in pursuit of human capital development. Complimentary to our work on training young people, which is ongoing, the South African National Parks – which is an entity of our department - also provides environmental education to schools across the country. This initiative is aligned to the school calendar, and we work closely with the Department of Basic Education, in this regard.

It would be remiss of me, if I do not mention the Youth in Employment and Development (YED) Programme of the Environment and Culture Sector. This is an initiative of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) that targets young women, youth with disabilities, unemployed youth, out of school youth, youth in rural areas, youth at risk, youth headed households and youth in conflict with the law.

The Exit Training and Youth Graduate projects are also part of the YED Programme. The DFFE partners with various stakeholders such as municipalities, Public/Private entities, Institutions of Higher Learning, NGO’s, Community-based Organisations (CBO’s), Co-operatives, other government departments, Traditional Authorities and other relevant stakeholders, for implementation of this project. Usually, stakeholders are earmarked for hosting of project participants and building capacity, and participants/learners gain experiential learning while they provide services to their communities based on the environmental challenges, being identified.

Our support is not limited to unemployed youth. We have also been collaborating closely with the Department of Small Business Development, to ensure that SMMEs, Entrepreneurs, and start-ups are responsible in their business conduct. Since 2020, we have been undertaking outreach and awareness on green enterprise development and providing support to SMMEs.

As we continue to empower our youth, start-ups, entrepreneurs and SMMEs, we must be equally cognisant of their challenges and design initiatives to address the barriers. Resolving challenges facing our youth must not be informed based on own perceptions. We have to have continuous conversation with our youth…we must listen to them, engage them and work with them to find solutions to the challenges they face.  Ladies and gentlemen, our high level of youth unemployment makes it clear that we need to do more.

The DFFE has indeed achieved the intended objectives of these programmes. We have created temporary employment for the youth and have equipped the youth with the necessary skills to address environmental challenges.

In Conclusion. I wish to congratulate our young people who have excelled and have been recognized for their Entrepreneurial skills and potential. I wish you well on your journey.

I, Thank you