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Johannesburg - The Inkatha Freedom Party in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday called for an investigation into the Youth Ambassadors programme following claims that some of its affiliates were unemployable.
"The IFP calls for a full scale independent investigation into the alleged claims that some of those who were recruited under the Youth Ambassadors programme are not employable by other companies because their names are still appearing in... the premier's office," provincial chairperson Blessed Gwala said in a statement.
"The premier must expedite this as matter of priority because even those who want to register for social grants are being denied as their names appear in the system as workers, employed by the premier's office."
Gwala said the investigation should also look at how much money was spent on the programme as former Youth Ambassadors claimed that the programme was for five years while they only worked for two years.
He asked who was benefiting from the money for the other three years.
"The premier must do right thing by telling our young people the truth and that the Youth Ambassadors Programme was meant for canvassing votes for the ANC during the recent general elections," he said.
The premier's spokesman Ndabezinhle Sibiya labelled the move by the IFP as a tactic to score cheap political points.
He said contrary to the misinformation being spread by the party, participants of the programme had informed them of the opportunities opened by the experience gained.
"We are receiving reports from those young people given opportunities to be ambassadors on how the experience gained was opening doors for them," said Sibiya.
He said the programme only ran for two years.
