The National Youth Development Agency's programme to recruit volunteers in Makana to work during the upcoming soccer world cup is in limbo following the closure of the local Youth Advisory Centre last month. 

The centre was closed following a notice from Makana mayor Vumile Lwana which informed Outreach Officer Sicelo Gqeke that his employment contract would end on 30 April 2010. Gqeke confirmed that his office was closed last month by the municipality due to the drying up of the Umsobomvu Youth Fund grant which established the office in 2007.

Gqeke was the only municipal official who was assigned to manage the South Africa Football Association(SAFA) National Youth Development campaign and oversee the volunteer recruitment and selection programme for promoting the world cup tournament in Makana. The volunteers will go from door -to-door donating national flags, vuvuzelas and flyers of national anthem.   

When Gqeke was interviewed on Radio Grahamstown dy Dj Luvo on his popular City Of Saints Drive Show, he said: "I'm so struggling to network with the provincial office due to lack of resources such as computers and a fax machine. As an official who does not have an office, I'm using my cell and I ask other officials to check my emails and faxes."

Earlier this month he organised an event at the Indoor Sport Centre which was not sucsessfull, allegedly due to broken promises made by the provincial office. Gqeke said the office had promised him Bafana Bafana t-shirts and flags for the volunteers to donate.