Cape Town - South Africa's youth should make the National Development Plan (NDP) their own as it is designed to make South Africa a better place for them, according to President Jacob Zuma.
Zuma and the Earl and Countess of Wessex presented 130 young people with gold awards as part of the President's Awards for Youth Empowerment during a ceremony at the Table Bay Hotel on Thursday.
"The youth is the future of South Africa and it takes an event like this to see they can build this country. It is in good hands," said Zuma.
"The testimonies I heard from award recipients today showed me a very important aspect of human beings. We can all change and make a contribution to society if we get given an opportunity."
The awards form part of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation and the Earl of Wessex, his son, is a trustee thereof.
The Earl of Wessex told the award recipients that there are about a million young people in 144 countries in the world working towards these awards, which were started by his father 30 years ago.
The award programme aims at developing the capacity of young people to face challenges. They are encouraged to take part in activities which empower them and change their attitudes about themselves and make a meaning contribution to their countries and societies.
Zuma, who took over from former president Nelson Mandela as Patron in Chief of the awards in South Africa in 2010, pointed out that it was Mandela who first suggested that the awards programme also be offered to youth in South African prisons.
A few juvenile prisoners in the Western Cape also received their gold awards during the ceremony.
- Fin24
Zuma and the Earl and Countess of Wessex presented 130 young people with gold awards as part of the President's Awards for Youth Empowerment during a ceremony at the Table Bay Hotel on Thursday.
"The youth is the future of South Africa and it takes an event like this to see they can build this country. It is in good hands," said Zuma.
"The testimonies I heard from award recipients today showed me a very important aspect of human beings. We can all change and make a contribution to society if we get given an opportunity."
The awards form part of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation and the Earl of Wessex, his son, is a trustee thereof.
The Earl of Wessex told the award recipients that there are about a million young people in 144 countries in the world working towards these awards, which were started by his father 30 years ago.
The award programme aims at developing the capacity of young people to face challenges. They are encouraged to take part in activities which empower them and change their attitudes about themselves and make a meaning contribution to their countries and societies.
Zuma, who took over from former president Nelson Mandela as Patron in Chief of the awards in South Africa in 2010, pointed out that it was Mandela who first suggested that the awards programme also be offered to youth in South African prisons.
A few juvenile prisoners in the Western Cape also received their gold awards during the ceremony.
- Fin24