Labour minister challenges Scouts
May 14 2008 12:03:34:067PM  - (SA)  

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He was speaking at the Southern Africa Region Conference held in Midrand.

“We are faced with children in war situations, child rape and abuse, crime involving young children and child labour.Where is the Scout Movement?” he asked.

“You have a responsibility to prune and guide young people.”

Mdladlana joined the Scouts as a young boy over forty years ago.

“Scouting made me what I am today . . . basic principles and values do not disappear, they guide you in later life,” he said.

About 200 delegates from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe attended the three-day conference and exchanged ideas on what contemporary young people expect from the movement.

Mdladlana reminded them about challenges facing the region.

He cited the political situation in Kenya and Zimbabwe and implored the Scouts to look out for young people caught up in difficult situations.

“Children must be allowed to grow in a safe environment, the power you have is not that of a gun . . . but you can make yourselves champions for the rights of the children, especially the girl-child,” he said.

The 35th Southern Zone Conference also looked at the role of women in the Scouting Movement and the spiritual development of young people. The conference was a prelude to the World Scouts Movement Conference to be held in Japan in 2015.

Scouting in South Africa was formed in 1908, only a few months after scouting began in the United Kingdom. The South African Scout Association unveiled its new branding on 24 February 2008. – BuaNews

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