​Qaqambile Mdledle
The Gauteng Provincial Government is prioritising programmes to boost youth employment in the province. 
One such initiative is the Bambisandla-Sam Centre of Excellence at Western Deep Level in Carletonville. 
The centre, funded by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) and Ashanti Gold Mine is providing skills development for unemployed youth in the mining town. 
The skills include clothing manufacturing, hospitality training which includes professional cooks and animals and plant production.
Gauteng Social Development MEC, Morakane Mosupyoe who visited the centre on Wednesday, said such the programme offered serves as a springboard for participants to find employment.
"Youth unemployment is the most serious and primary economic problem of our time. In the province, we currently have about 2 million young people of working age, who are not in education and employment."
In this light, Mosupyoe said government is determined to empower young people in the province with skills so they can become employable and start their businesses.
"The young people want to contribute. It is an initiative that taps on the energy, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the youth. 
"It is about opening pathways for the youth to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. It is about giving the youth a helping hand and a second chance in life so that they can take charge of their destiny," said Mosupyoe.
Veronica Namane, founder of Bambisandla-Sam Centre of Excellence was among the workers who were retrenched by Ashanti Gold Mine in Carletonville. 
"I was one of the employees retrenched after the mine scaled-down, due to the declining economy in the sector. My portfolio included skills development for people with disabilities. After my retrenchment, I saw an opportunity to establish an institution that would benefit the broader society."
She said one objective of the centre is to promote and encourage the integration of people with disabilities, orphans, women and youth into the working society through skills development to stimulate sustainability and social cohesion.
"To us, nothing is as urgent as giving hope to our young people, many of whom bear the brunt of poverty and unemployment," she added.