Cape Town - Premier Alan Winde has said that more than 1 000 youth safety ambassadors have been recruited, selected and placed in work opportunities at schools via the provincial departments of Education, Health; SAPS; municipalities and community-based organisations.
Winde was responding to a question put to him by ANC community safety provincial spokesperson Mesuli Kama, who had asked in a written query about monitoring the implementation of the provincial safety plan.
Kama wanted to know what progress had been made on each of the responsibilities assigned to MECs with regard to the implementation of Western Cape Safety Plan and what remedial action, if any, had been taken on those who might have failed to implement their responsibilities.
Winde said the province had trained 111 youth to date, and that the Chrysalis Academy had also appointed 11 youth hub ambassadors to expand the academy’s footprint and support youth in the identified communities.
He said the departments of Community Safety; Cultural Affairs and Sport and Social Development were given the responsibility to lead the 2019-2024 Provincial Strategic Plan with regard to safe and cohesive communities.
“The department of Cultural Affairs and Sport is responsible for the coordination of the Youth-In-Service programme, which will be scaled up to increase opportunities for unemployed youth aged 18-24 in accessing the important first work opportunity.
“The provincial department of Social Development chairs the provincial safety social cluster stream, as well as the social sector crime prevention stream.
“The safety plan was always intended to be an iterative and working document to respond to challenges faced, when and where they arise. This is in keeping with ensuring an evidence-based and data-led approach,” said Winde.
He said indicators were monitored on a quarterly basis by safety and well-being management committee meetings and work streams, and assured Kama that there were measures in place within the departmental programmes to mitigate shortfalls.