ActionSA Slams MECs for Snubbing 2025 Youth Parliament
Press Statement by Tebogo Ntuli
ActionSA Mpumalanga Student’s Chapter Chairperson
ActionSA expresses deep concern over the conduct of the Mpumalanga Executive following the disappointing start to the 2025 Youth Parliament proceedings.
According to the official programme, all 11 provincial departments were expected to deliver presentations through their respective political heads, the MECs, to account to the youth of this province. However, only two MECs were in attendance: the MEC for Social Development and the MEC for Culture, Sports and Recreation. Shockingly, the MEC for Social Development departed immediately after delivering her address, without engaging or participating further in the session.
This level of disengagement represents not only an institutional failure, but a clear sign of disrespect toward the young people of Mpumalanga. Youth Parliament is not a ceremonial event, it is a platform for democratic accountability, where the province’s leadership must listen, report, and respond to the needs and concerns of young people.
The absence of nine MECs, without formal apology or explanation, undermines the credibility of the Youth Parliament and signals a disturbing lack of commitment from the Executive to the development and empowerment of youth in this province.
ActionSA believes that if the provincial government cannot show up to account to its youngest citizens, then it cannot be trusted to lead them.
We call on the Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature to:
Issue a formal explanation regarding the no-show of the majority of MECs,
Commit to rescheduling proper departmental engagements with youth,
And ensure that such disregard is not repeated in future sittings.
ActionSA remains committed to building a responsive and accountable government that places youth at the centre of its developmental agenda. The young people of Mpumalanga deserve to be heard, not ignored.
ActionSA Slams MECs for Snubbing 2025 Youth Parliament
ActionSA expresses deep concern over the conduct of the Mpumalanga Executive following the disappointing start to the 2025 Youth Parliament proceedings.
According to the official programme, all 11 provincial departments were expected to deliver presentations through their respective political heads, the MECs, to account to the youth of this province. However, only two MECs were in attendance: the MEC for Social Development and the MEC for Culture, Sports and Recreation. Shockingly, the MEC for Social Development departed immediately after delivering her address, without engaging or participating further in the session.
This level of disengagement represents not only an institutional failure, but a clear sign of disrespect toward the young people of Mpumalanga. Youth Parliament is not a ceremonial event, it is a platform for democratic accountability, where the province’s leadership must listen, report, and respond to the needs and concerns of young people.
The absence of nine MECs, without formal apology or explanation, undermines the credibility of the Youth Parliament and signals a disturbing lack of commitment from the Executive to the development and empowerment of youth in this province.
ActionSA believes that if the provincial government cannot show up to account to its youngest citizens, then it cannot be trusted to lead them.
We call on the Speaker of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature to:
ActionSA remains committed to building a responsive and accountable government that places youth at the centre of its developmental agenda. The young people of Mpumalanga deserve to be heard, not ignored.