The second deputy secretary general of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), Olga Seate, said they were responsive leadership to the social, economic, health, and environmental challenges facing the youth as well as the nation.
Seate was speaking at Charlotte Maxeke Secondary School in Phomolong, Thembisa, where they were commemorating Nelson Mandela International Day.
As part of responding to the challenges, the ANCYL leadership led by the deputy president, Phumzile Mcqina, spent 67 minutes planting trees and vegetables at the school.
Previously, the school did not have a garden that was able to grow and produce plants for its purposes.
The ANCYL leadership together with the Grade 12 learners planted trees and vegetables in the new school garden to encourage the development of food security and social welfare.
Speaking to IOL, Seate said the initiative was aimed at responding to the food security situation in the country via the education sector.
She said it was important for them to be part of the solution to food security to ensure that the quality of food is not affected by diseases.
“If we don’t have initiatives like this, we are more likely to have more unnecessary diseases and health conditions that are caused by malnutrition-related conditions,” she said.
She pleaded to the public and stakeholders to join hands and come up with more initiatives to help address food safety that will safeguard health security and avoid health risks associated with food that could have been avoided.
She stressed how society takes the issue of diet and nutrition lightly, however, she stated that initiatives like this would shift how people consume food to reduce their risk of health issues.
“It’s not about us getting spinach and eating healthy. It’s about securing the soil, introducing science to it, and preserving it for other generations to come and make sure that we leave skill to them,” she said.
Furthermore, Seate encouraged the grade 12 learners particularly females to be more active than how she is.
“In whatever I do, they should enhance and do more of what I am doing. I can inspire, ignite and burn a passion inside of a young girl to do more,” she said.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics