After three years of unemployment, Lunga Minyayo, 21, now co-owns a buzzing information technology hub in Motherwell, thanks to a youth development programme run by the Eastern Cape social development department.

Minyayo and four other youths from Motherwell received R500 000 from the department as part of its programme to help formerly disadvantaged youth develop skills to start their own businesses.

Twenty-one youth development projects in the province were allocated a total of R7,7-million by the department this year. Four of them are in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Ibhongololutsha ICT, which means “Pride of Youth”, was founded by Minyayo, Chris Mathiso, Simphiwe Kaya, Siyabonga Jakuja and Monde Kaya, all in their 20s.

Minyayo matriculated in 2002 and enrolled for an information technology course at the Port Elizabeth College the following year. But he could not continue with his studies because of financial difficulties. “When we started the project last year, we had 15 members,” Minyayo said, “but others fell by the wayside because there was no hope of any income at that time.

“The five of us had a strong vision to have an IT business and (even) after some members resigned, we did not give up. We sent proposals to social development and the labour department.”

While waiting for a response from the departments, the group started a small mobile music business.

“We got a call from the department this year and they wanted to provide us with R500 000, but we had to submit a business plan which clearly stated how we would spend the whole amount,” Minyayo said. The department then provided them with premises at the Siyalinga complex in Motherwell and they started operating early this year.

The business provides services such as business cards, laminating and photo and video editing. “We are still waiting for 20 computers from the department, which we will use for computer skills training in this community,” Minyayo said.

The five have already hired seven other youths from Motherwell, on instruction from the social development department.

The Kuyga ICT youth project in Greenbushes was also earmarked and given R500 000 by the department. The project has four full-time members.

Project member Xola Peters, 22, said they were already under pressure from community members to start giving computer skills training.

Social development spokesman Pumlani Mdolomba said the computers would be delivered once the department was sure about the security of the premises.