KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE CONDUCTS OVERSIGHT OVER THE VUMA YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY IN ESHOWE, KING CETHSHWAYO DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY ON WEDNESDAY, 21 MAY 

The Vuma Youth Development Academy admits only male students and can accommodate 60 individuals who are drawn from Youth exiting the foster care system, Youth who completed the diversion programmes of the KZN Department of Social Development, Youth who have completed the drug rehabilitation programme, Youth identified through Operation Sukuma Sakhe’s War Rooms, youth with special needs and Youth identified through Youth Structures, funded by the Department of Social Development.

The students exit the programme with a certificate from Umfolozi FET, a code 10 driver’s licence and startup kits on the programme they choose to be trained on :

• Community house building

• Hospitality

• Plumbing 

Upon conducting its oversight the Committee noticed ageing infrastructure that requires renovations.  The computer room with outdated equipment, the classroom furniture was dilapidated, hospitality training room and plumbing training rooms with little to no equipment.

Members of the Legislature are elected by the people and conducting oversight over government projects is a core mandate of the Legislature.   Oversight offers MPLs the opportunity to view firsthand what’s happening on the ground and Committees have the power to summon the departmental officials to respond to the observations MPLs make on a range of elements including budgeting, infrastructure, mismanagement, human resources.  

Members of the Committee in a meeting with the KZN Department of Social Development after the walkabout in the Academy were unanimous that the project served a crucial role to the citizens of KZN and expressed their disappointment in the deteriorating conditions of the academy.  

Chairperson of the Social Development Portfolio Committee, Hon Noluthando Dlamini stated that even though the condition of the Vuma Youth Development Academy is at an all-time low, all hope is not lost and the committee resolved to apply maximum pressure on the department to implement a turnaround strategy to address shortcomings in this project.  She further stated that the committee will follow-up with all stakeholders on an ongoing basis to monitor whether improvements were made.