By Nangamso Mabindla

With 40%of Mdantsane’s population under the age of 15, it was crucial that any plans to develop and upgrade the township had to include programmes to empower youngsters.

This was one of the issues tackled during a workshop on the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme that was held in Buffalo City yesterday.

The R1-billion programme is aimed at changing the face of the impoverished township. Ambitious plans involve providing water and electricity to those who do not yet have access and upgrading the township’s infrastructure.

According to Thandeka Rwexu of the provincial Department of Social Development, it was imperative that the urban renewal programme also focused on youth development projects. She was responding to statistics that revealed that Mdantsane had a total population of 233 000, 40% of whom were under 15.

One project that targeted youngsters was the Mdantsane Youth Development Forum, which “educates the youth about issues like HIV/AIDS and also assists youths in different aspects of life”, Rwexu said. It was important for youngsters to learn how to take responsibility for their lives, she added.

Councillor Sizwe Dikimolo, who oversees the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme, agreed that the renewal programme needed to involve the youth, as they would be the beneficiaries.

During the workshop the councillor also pointed out how necessary it was for all the role-players to work together to ensure the success of the township’s renewal. “I believe we need to work together to achieve good results.”

He called on all three spheres of government, from national to local, to work together and avoid duplication.

During the workshops the different partnerships and their roles within the urban renewal programme were identified.

The Department of Roads and Public Works told the workshop R12-million had been budgeted for the upgrading of streets in NU 17, while Mpiti Wogqoyi of the Buffalo City Department of Health said plans were in the pipeline to build a community center in NU2. “We want to call this center Notyatyambo because we believe the township’s flowers will blossom because of the centre.”

Councillor Dikimolo said the various departments needed to appoint a coordinator for the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme so that each department would then have some say in the vast 10-year project. “This way we can all come up with effective strategies,” the councillor added.