By Amy Musgrave
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed interim board members for the National Youth Development Agency until a new board is appointed.
This follows the portfolio committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities deciding this week that it will interview shortlisted candidates from 27 January to 29 January. The committee has shortlisted 18 candidates from 1479 applications.
While there was some deliberation to extend the shortlist to 20, the committee decided to adhere to the legal recommendation of 18.
It had expressed concerns over the upcoming departure of the current NYDA board at the end of the month, as well as the positions advertised for the CEO and CFO.
Ramaphosa said in a statement that he had appointed the temporary board to ensure continuity in the work of the NYDA while the process to appoint a permanent board was underway.
In terms of the NYDA Act, the president has designated Asanda Luwaca as the chairperson of the interim board, and Karabo Mohale as her deputy. Both women are the current chair and deputy chair.
The other five interim board members are also the current board members.
The NYDA is mandated by law to develop and implement an Integrated Youth Development Strategy for South Africa and to initiate, design, coordinate, evaluate and monitor all programmes that aim to integrate the youth into the economy and society in general.
These programmes entail alleviating poverty, urban and rural development, and the combating of crime, substance abuse and social decay among youth.
The committee was meant to hold a meeting with the board on Friday to discuss transitional plans and explore measures to maintain stability at the agency.
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