The Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, called on the youth of South Africa who are interested in the tourism sector to approach her department for more information and for assistance in establishing their own businesses.
The Minister was addressing the local community around Vhembe during an imbizo at the Matsila royal kraal earlier this month. Her delegation included the Limpopo MEC for Economic Development, Thabo Mokone, Vhembe Executive Mayor Dowelani Nenguda, local mayors and traditional leaders.
Kubayi-Ngubane said that tourism played a crucial role in job creation. She called on young people to come up with programmes that spoke to other young people in terms of job creation. "Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and encourage other young people to get involved in the tourism sector," she said.
She expressed concern about young people who go to tertiary institutions or universities to study courses for which few job opportunities exist. "Our country needs young people who have the relevant, scarce skills. Chefs are scarce and the department is always willing to assist young people who want to venture into tourism or to become chefs," she said.
She talked about programmes that included enterprise development, skills development as well as the tourism incentive programme that people can access from her department. "As the department of tourism, we have numerous programmes that seek to empower people, mainly women and the youth, in developing and sustaining their businesses."
Chief Livhuwani Matsila, who is the founder of the Matsila Community Development Trust that employs more than 500 workers, pleaded with community members to show interest in destination marketing with a view to attracting tourists from abroad to visit their places and boost the local economy.
"We then have to make sure that we will be able to change the situation and make sure that tourists can feel secure and they are not raped," he said. Matsila said tourism largely contributed to job creation and was a driver of socio-economic growth and sustainable development.