Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor encourages participants of Mayoral Programmes during Certificate Ceremony

For Immediate Release
14 May 2021

On Wednesday, 12 May 2021, youth between the ages of 18 and 35 from various towns within the Garden Route, were acknowledged and handed over certificates by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), after  completing a Peace Officer (Law Enforcement) and/or Learners & Drivers Licence Programme.  This was the last group of participants who underwent one or both programmes as part of the 2017-2021 Mayoral Programme.

The event took place at the Rosemoor Stadium with the councillors, management, training providers, service providers and the participants in attendance.

Executive Deputy Mayor at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Ald. Rosina Ruiters welcomed all officials and participants and training providers to the event.  She specifically welcomed and commended the training providers for the excellent manner in which they presented the programmes to the participants.

The Mayoral Law Enforcement programme started in 2017 with the aim to capacitate local municipalities to enforce by-laws within their respective areas. The programme initially commenced in the Knysna and Bitou municipal areas due to the high crime rates in both areas at the time, but subsequently was extended to the other areas of the district.

After completion of the Law Enforcement Programme, the Learners and Drivers Licence Programme was rolled out to empower unemployed youth with essential skills to get easier access to the job market, according to Richard Dyantyi, Manager for Expanded Public Works (EPWP) at the GRDM. “Both these programme are initiatives of the GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald Memory Booysen,” he said.

GRDM Councillor Rowan Spies, programme director of the event, congratulated and encouraged all participants who completed the programme(s) with the following words: “Success is not a moment, but a challenge that you pick up every step of the way. It is getting up in the morning and showing up what you are supposed to do that day when you do not feel like doing it. It is working through relationships in spaces that you work in and learn in and try to move forward when you do not get along with people which you supposed to be working with. That is how success is built. Adding to this he highlighted: “Success comes after your darkest moment when you just want to give up – commend yourself for your hard work and success,” he concluded. Spies is also a member of the Skills Development Training Committee, as well as Portfolio Chairperson tasked with Road and Transport Planning at GRDM.

Participants namely Nolusindiso Thafeni, Nathan Buys and Jozé Olivier shared warm messages of appreciation with GRDM, Mayor Booysen, their respective local municipalities and training providers for their efforts to roll out these programmes. Thafeni (Law Enforcement) said: “There are people who weren’t as lucky as us to be selected to the programme, so we are very grateful to Mayor Booysen for making this possible. We are also grateful to everyone who was involved and took initiative by teaching us and getting us here today – we thank you. Buys from Riversdale said: “I am thankful towards both GRDM and Hessequa municipalities for the opportunity created for the youth, in order to build a future for themselves. He also thanked Mayor Booysen for the course that was created for the youth and for all future programmes that will continue to benefit youth. Oliver, a Learners and Drivers Licence participant, also thanked GRDM and stakeholders involved for the opportunity created to assist them in obtaining the necessary skills to be job-ready.

The moment all participants waited for was the appearance of Mayor Booysen when he shared his story of passion with them to help the Garden Route district become a better district for all.  He applauded the group for their endurance throughout the programme and praised them for not giving up on themselves. When highlighting the group’s achievement, he said: “This is just the beginning, because if you are doing good in what you are doing today, you are not only paving the way for yourselves but for others too. Your performance during these programmes motivates us as Council to continue to invest in similar programmes,” Mayor Booysen said.

When referring to the challenges faced by our country in terms of skills development and jobs, Mayor Booysen emphasised: “The GRDM Council made a unanimous conscious decision to invest in the skills of the Garden Route youth and will continue to do so. This idea fits into the broader Skills Mecca concept, which is also being driven by the GRDM at the moment”. He added that from the GRDM’s side, Council also wants to make sure that when opportunities arise, the youth are ready for those opportunities. In closing, he said:  “To be ready for the future, you need to be able to help yourself, you need to be able to solve problems and if you are able to do so, you would then be able to fulfil your purpose in the future of the Republic of South Africa”.

The event was organised by the representatives in the Office of the Executive Mayor, led by Siphiwe Dadla (Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor), in collaboration with the EPWP Unit and other internal departments of GRDM.

END