Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi has urged South Africans to shift their mindset from seeking employment to becoming job creators.
This shift would allow the government to step in and support small-scale businesses, he told Newzroom Afrika on the sidelines of Freedom Day celebrations in Bloemfontein.
“South Africa is a great country that we have built with our own sweat, but we must work harder to assist the government. Where we are able to address certain issues, we shouldn’t fold our arms and say the government should do it. There are challenges we can manage ourselves by organising our communities, addressing crime and reporting issues to the authorities.
“We must be active in fighting the scourges of poverty, unemployment and insecurity.”
Baloyi pointed to successes in education and healthcare as milestones of the democratic era.
“We agree that more needs to be done, but the freedom we have has afforded us many things. Children can attend any school they choose without discrimination, and our higher education institutions are supported by NSFAS. These are significant strides.
“Look at our health sector: despite the increasing numbers, services remain free. Consider how we take care of indigent people. While the need is great and we must do more, we have made substantial progress so far.”
TimesLIVE
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