It’s undeniable that South Africa is a developing country with so much potential to grow and offer many opportunities, however it is worrying that according to the 2020 fourth quarter Labour Force Survey; conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), about 8,6 million young people aged between 15 and 34 years are uneducated and unemployed.
As we are nearing the end of youth month, we must remember that it takes a village to raise a child. All government departments must continue to reach out to the youth through its empowerment programmes because that way the risk of unemployment is constantly lowered especially towards the disadvantaged sections of our society.
Today in this uncertainty, the youth is plagued with doubt about their abilities, and it is easy to forget that they are captains of their own ships. As the unemployment percentage rises, they must know that education can talk for them in any situation.
Sectors such as the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) recognise youth as smart investment that can solve most of the water and sanitation challenges today. DWS has gone beyond and above to reach and uplift the youth of this country. This applies to continuous grooming of primary and high school learners so that they become water professionals such as among others; engineers, scientists, hydrologists and geo-hydrologists.
During this Covid-19 pandemic, our youth should not be discouraged. It is true what President Cyril Ramaphosa said on the last family meeting, we will overcome this. The DWS bursaries are still opened until the 31 October 2021, South Africans equally qualify for these bursaries; as long as they are in grade 12 and studying mathematics and physical science. The bursaries cover full tuition fees accommodation, food, books, stationery allowance and monthly stipend. It’s a full package!
I was struck by the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu’s words a few weeks ago when she called on engineers to patriotically contribute to the development agenda of the country. She said that today’s global challenges such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic require engineering minds that would offer ground-breaking solutions aimed at accelerating economic recovery. Truly DWS has an unswerving commitment towards the youth. Our country is still the 30 driest countries in the world and in recent years the bursary applications has escalated and even extended to 1st and 2nd year students in Universities who are currently studying:
* BSc/BEng in Civil; Mechanical and Electrical; BSc (Hons) in Civil; Mechanical and Electrical
* BSc in Hydrology; Geohydrology; Environmental Management; Project Management, Environmental Sciences, Environmental and Water Sciences
* BSc (Hons) in Hydrology; Geohydrology; Environmental Management; Project Management, Environmental Sciences, Environmental and Water Sciences
* National Diploma/BEng Tech in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Electrical Engineering (Heavy Current); National Diploma in Water Care and Environmental Management and Biochemistry
For more information, students are encouraged to visit the Department’s website and social media pages which are
Departmental website: www dws.gov.za
Department of Water and Sanitation South Africa
