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On Tuesday, heavy flight delays compressed the time Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu had in addressing the Westerford High School pupils in Cape Town.

Initially the plan was to stay for two hours addressing the learners as part of the school’s Youth Day commemoration.

From 13:00 – 14:00, she would have been sharing her personal insight and journey with the Grade 12 history students, covering the topics of 1976, going into exile and the activity with the ANC in exile during the 1980s. Then from 14:00 – 15:00, she would challenge the entire school on the subject of “Youth agency and active citizenship in 2017”.

As it turned out, she arrived at Westerford High School at 15:00, to give a 15 minute speech in assembly, and then rushed off to catch another flight at 5pm to the Eastern Cape.

In the Minister’s 15 minutes; she apologised for her late arrival, she mentioned her early youth days and how she had to go and study in Swaziland. She touched on the two climate events that have drastically hit the Western Cape recently (Knysna Fires and Cape Storm), and also how the school can contribute to giving back to the affected Hout Bay areas in her next visit (to the school).

“It is important that our students and youth understand where we come from, it is important for them to understand therefore how valuable it is for them to play their part. We have a great country and we need to keep it as it was,” she said.

We are privileged to be where we are today. 5000 people were left homeless in Imizamo Yethu.

We are the youth, we represent what we want to see, what it is that we want to be and achieve.

Allow me to invite the school to help at least one family in Hout Bay,” she said.

“Together we are able to go forward. We have provided an environment for you with what we have negotiated (in the past). A great deal of forgiveness from both sides has made us who we are today,” she added.

Westerford High School Principal, Mr Rob le Roux said, “It was too short, we need lots of time, there is a lot we need to ask her and our children need to ask her. She was scheduled to be here for two hours, unfortunately her flight was delayed, so we had 10 minutes instead of 2 hours. But she will be here again.”

Headboy and Headgirl of Westerford High School, Joshua von Zeil-Singer and Siphosethu Xamlashe said, “Firstly, we are grateful that she was able to make it, it is really nice for someone who we see on television to come and address us in school. Secondly, we are privileged for her to ask us to help in Hout Bay, and we hope that other schools can jump on the bandwagon and contribute towards greater good too.”

When asked if she is running for presidential candidate, she responded she needs time to mile it over, “Actually, in terms of the ANC policy, we do not discuss whether someone is running for president or not, until we done with the policy, it is putting the cart before the horse.”

“What we need to focus on is what is going wrong in our country and fix that. After we have solved the problem of where we went wrong and what we did right, then we are able to say; now that we have a plan, who is the best candidate to take that plan forward,” she added.

Interview With Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, featuring Sandiso Phaliso from Independent Media

Western Cape Minister of Community Safety, Dan Plato, was welcomed to the Chrysalis Academy’s Youth Month Photography Exhibition at the Artscape Theatre on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

The Chrysalis Academy showcased the transformational journey of students who have graduated from the 3-month programme, through a series of photo galleries and art exhibits.

Many of the students have been previously affected by overwhelming circumstances that have forced them to become the change they need to see in their communities.

23 year old Villiersdorp based photographer, Mongezi Phama said, before he joined the academy he was with bad company, he saw the academy in 2015, did some research and applied, and in 2016 he was accepted.

“After I had undergone the 3 month program I graduated and the experience since then has been amazing. I am able to assist in the community as well. We have introduced the Violent Prevention Through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) initiative and it has helped many young designers stay away from violence by embracing art, through confidence and new skills,” Phama said.

Minister Dan Plato said, “It is one of our flagship projects. We as the government are happy with the Chrysalis Academy over the past years.”

“The budget for one financial year is between R8 million to R9 million. Quite a sizable amount of money, but we need to know that we need to employ instructors, CEOs, and you need equipment because many of the youngsters enrolling at the academy come from poor backgrounds, they arrive at the academy only with their clothes on them, so we need to provide all that is needed,” he said.

“They want to be there, they want to change their minds, and change their societies. The youngsters come from all communities around the Western Cape, many are faced by violence, crime and so on, but when they are at the academy, all of this is gone because they can

embrace their feeling into art.” he added.

Chief Executive Officer at the Chrysalis Academy, Lucille Meyer said, “Young people are not

about crime and gangs, the talent is huge. What the Chrysalis Academy gives is the space for the talent to be embraced.”

“We have launched the exhibition for youth month. The academy is 17 years old, in the next 5 years our program will continue to build youth leadership, it is to afford an opportunity for young people who are not in employment, not in education, and not in training. We again want to confirm; once young leaders are given a safe space, love and compassion, they fly,” said Meyer.

Head of Training and Development at the Chrysalis Academy, Janine Turner said, “The chosen students from the Chrysalis Academy go through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), which is a stipend paid internship provided by the Western Cape Government, it is a 12 month process with additional learning and skills development.”

The Chrysalis Academy has changed the lives of over 8000 young people aged between 18 and 25 years old since its inception in 2000.

Interview with Minister of Community Safety Dan Plato, Chrysalis Academy Photography Exhibition

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