Archive of News
The youth aren’t getting houses handed to them on a silver platter
- Published on 22 Oct 2014
Over the past couple of months, employing youth has become very desirable – especially with the financial kickback offered by the youth wage subsidy. This could result in members of the youth believing that they can get anything that they want. So if getting a job is so easy, getting a house could be seen as equally easy? Well, not exactly...
At the 6th Planning Africa Conference in Durban on Tuesday, human settlements minister - Lindiwe Sisulu – announced that individuals under the age of 40 would not be eligible for free houses from government.
In an article on iAfrica, the minister was quoted as saying: "Our intention in giving free houses was to right the wrongs of the past and make sure that we can give our people dignity. And that group of people is not the people below the age of 40."
The attitude of the minister, expressed above, towards free housing is the spirit that was originally intended to underlie the black economic empowerment (BEE) codes. However, as with housing the spirit behind BEE hasn't been successful. Richard Maponye, one of South Africa's greatest entrepreneurs – also thinks this. In an article on BDLive, he is quoted as saying: "BEE fostered a culture of entitlement and expectation that has robbed matriculants and university graduates of the incentive to start their own businesses."
To read more about black economic empowerment, follow this link.
