PRIME Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has agreed to set up a committee to deal with issues affecting ‘struggle kids’, especially unemployment.
Although the PM’s office could neither confirm nor deny this, the spokesperson, Saima Shaanika said the meeting took place on Friday.
“The outcome will be made public in due course,” Shaanika said in an SMS yesterday.
The leader of the ‘struggle kids’, Tuhafeni Nhinda, who attended the meeting together with nine others, told yesterday that the PM said she would form a committe to deal with their issues.
Nhinda also said they agreed that all permanent secretaries should submit all vacant posts to the Office of the Prime Minister so that the ‘struggle kids’ can be considered first.
This will follow a verification process, where the group members are expected to submit their credentials and identity documents.
“Depending on the qualifications we have, we can then be given those posts. Those of us who have driving licences can be employed as drivers,” said Nhinda.
This committee will be chaired by the secretary to Cabinet, as well as three representatives from the group. Nhinda, however, said these proposals need Cabinet’s blessing.
“The PM said she will discuss these proposals at the next Cabinet meeting,” he stated, adding that they will give government a few more weeks to address their unemployment woes before making the next move.
“Government normally takes its time in addressing our plight, especially with the recruitment process. If they do not speed up this process, we will leave Brakwater and come and set up camp at the Parliament Gardens. They cannot just dump us at Brakwater, away from civilization. Staying at Brakwater is very costly for us because it is too far from town,” he stated.
Nhinda, who made the long walk from Oshakati to Windhoek two weeks ago with many of his friends, said they were not going back [to the North] until government gives them jobs.
There are currently more than 600 ‘struggle kids’ camping at Brakwater and waiting for jobs.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila declined to confirm the outcome of the meeting, saying that her office has a public relations officer.
