Zuko Komisa
- The NYDA has clarified that its collaboration with Scorpion Kings was a non-financial partnership aimed at empowering youth in the creative sector, not an endorsement paid for by the agency.
- The initiative provided young people with practical experience in event management, offering them a pathway to careers in the arts and entertainment industries.
- This collaboration is part of a broader NYDA strategy to address the lack of accessible opportunities for youth in the rapidly growing creative economy.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has clarified that its collaboration with music duo Scorpion Kings for a concert was a non-financial partnership.
The agency issued a statement following public concern regarding its involvement in the event, stating it did not provide any payment or financial support.
According to the NYDA, the partnership was designed to create opportunities for young people in the creative sector.
It provided participants in the National Youth Service (NYS) with practical experience in event management, including roles in ushering, stage support, and front-of-house operations.
The agency believes this will help build technical and professional skills, enabling young people to pursue careers in events, stage management, production, and hospitality.
The NYDA noted that the creative arts and entertainment sector is a rapidly growing contributor to South Africa’s economy, yet accessible pathways for youth remain underdeveloped.
This collaboration, it stated, is a public-private partnership aimed at empowering young people and using the NYS as a platform for skills development and sector transformation.
The agency plans to replicate this model to provide similar opportunities to youth in both rural and urban areas across the country.
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