At least 64% of young people in South Africa are unemployed, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said, adding that “this is something no country can afford”.
Ramaphosa was Speaking virtually during a Youth Day commemoration.
The Youth Day celebrations took place in KwaZulu-Natal, under the theme: “The year of Charlotte Maxeke: Growing youth employment for an inclusive and transformed society”.
On June 16, 45 years ago, school pupils protested against the mandatory use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in their schools. However, the protest quickly turned violent when the apartheid government’s police responded with live ammunition, leaving many school children dead.
“Nearly 64% of young people in South Africa are unemployed. This is something no country can afford. Young people are the force that drives a country and grows its economy.
“Young people are a source of innovation and new ideas. Young people have energy and talent. Young people are resilient and never give up, even when it is difficult.
We know that by providing youth with work experience opportunities, supporting them to start & grow their own businesses, fixing our skills development system & creating opportunities for work that serves the common good, we can make inroads. https://t.co/3Hg3HktE3z
— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) June 16, 2021
“Right now, our economy is suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. A situation that was already bad, has gotten worse,” said Ramaphosa.
He said his government was putting young people at the centre of our national recovery.
“It is the singular focus of this administration to ensure that young people are given access to opportunities so they can better themselves, that they can drive change in their communities, and contribute to our economy,” he said.
He mentioned a number of initiatives that his government was working on to empower the youths. These included the Presidential Employment Stimulus that began in October last year, the Youth Employment Service, known as YES, and an online platform called SAYouth.Mobi.
“We know that by providing young people with opportunities for work experience, by supporting them to start and grow their own businesses, by fixing our skills development system and by creating opportunities for work that serves the common good, we can make inroads into this challenge,” Ramaphosa said.
Stats SA released the national unemployment figures a few weeks ago in which it painted a grim picture, with the highest unemployment rate among youth between 15 and 24 at 63.3%, and 41.3% for the age group 25 and 34.
PICTURE: Twitter
