President Jacob Zuma has shown he has no interest in young people by failing to remain in the country on June 16, the Democratic Alliance Youth said on Sunday.
Chairman Mbali Ntuli said it was a “slap in the face of young people” that Zuma pulled out of attending a Youth Day rally in Port Elizabeth and instead went to the G20 meeting in Mexico.
“By failing to remain in South Africa on Youth Day, one of the most important days in South African history, President Zuma has demonstrated once again that he has no interest in engaging the youth of South African,” said Ntuli.
“This façade of concern about youth issues is wearing thin. It started with the refusal of the President to implement the youth wage subsidy, despite overwhelming evidence and support in favour of its implementation.”
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane replaced Zuma at the event at the Wolfson Stadium in Silvertown.
Before Chabane could deliver his Youth Day speech on Saturday, Silvertown residents embarked on a service delivery protest outside the stadium.
Residents claimed they were not informed about the Youth Day event.
“The protesters told us that they were not properly consulted about the event and complained about the lack of service delivery,” said police spokesman Major Ernest Sigobe.
Police had to intervene to calm down the crowd who had been burning tyres and barricading roads nearby.
“We explained to them that their protest was illegal and requested them to follow the right procedures to address their grievances,” Sigobe said at the time..
“Fortunately they listened and the situation returned to normal.” - Sapa