20/05/2026
20 May 2026 - ANCYL DIEPSLOOT WARD 95 BRANCH STATEMENT ON WHY THE SOCA TO BE DELIVERED BY EXUCUTIVE MAYOR MUST SPEAK ON THE URGENT NEED TO ALLOCATE BUDGET FOR THE YOUTH DIRECTORATE
The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) Diepsloot Ward 95 Branch calls on the City of Johannesburg to urgently allocate a meaningful and sustainable budget towards the Youth Directorate in order to respond decisively to the growing challenges facing young people. The Youth Directorate was established to mainstream youth development within the City of Johannesburg and ensure that youth matters are prioritised across all departments and programmes. However, without adequate financial resources, the Directorate cannot effectively fulfil its mandate.
Young people in Diepsloot and across Johannesburg continue to face:
• Mass unemployment
• Poverty and inequality
• Lack of access to skills development opportunities
• Social exclusion
• Crime and substance abuse affecting communities daily
As the ANCYL Diepsloot Ward 95 Branch, we believe that investing in young people is not an expense, but an investment in the future stability and economic growth of Johannesburg.
We therefore demand that the City must:
1. Allocate a dedicated and protected budget for the Youth Directorate
2. Expand youth skills development and employment programmes through the Youth Directorate
3. Support youth entrepreneurship and township economies through the Youth Directorate
4. Increase access to bursaries, internships and learnerships through the Youth Directorate
5. Develop sustainable youth empowerment interventions in disadvantaged communities such as Diepsloot through the Youth Directorate
The youth cannot continue to be spectators in an economy that excludes them. A budget for youth development is a direct intervention against unemployment, poverty and inequality. The City of Johannesburg must move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate real commitment through budget allocation and implementation.
Issued by:
ANCYL Diepsloot Ward 95 Branch
