Youth agency manager grilled

THE National Youth Development Agency's Port Elizabeth manager was left flustered yesterday after a thorough grilling by Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela during a surprise visit.

The visit was the first of many unannounced drop-ins that Manamela plans to make to NYDA offices across the country.

Manamela spent almost two hours at the Nelson Mandela Bay agency, where he asked branch manager Vusumzi Makinana a number of intense questions on policies, complaints, follow-ups, accessibility and turnaround times for business grant applications to be processed.

When Manamela walked into the Vuyisile Mini Square offices of the NYDA at about 11.30am, the receptionist was not at her desk but another staff member was working, some consultants were away from their work stations and only walked to their desks a few minutes later.

Manamela walked through the offices, talking to prospective applicants as well as staff members before meeting the branch manager.

He asked Makinana to explain why the staff were not on the floor and why they did not have name tags. - Thulani Gqirana