By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is forging ahead with structural reforms, infrastructure investment and targeted job-creation programmes to drive inclusive growth and reduce youth unemployment.
Ramaphosa made the remarks on his weekly newsletter on Monday, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the youth day on June 16.
He reflected on the legacy of the 1976 youth uprising, saying it helped open the doors of freedom, while today’s generation must ensure those doors lead to real economic opportunity.
“The youth of South Africa rose up to reject an education system that sought to keep them in servitude and deny them the opportunity to realise their potential, “Ramaphosa said.
He said young people today face a different challenge, namely exclusion from an economy that has not created sufficient opportunities.
Ramaphosa acknowledged widespread frustration among young people struggling to find work, despite efforts to expand access to education, training and employment.
“We hear these frustrations, and we understand that they are real,” he said.
To reassure citizens that government is working to address youth unemployment, he outlined a range of programmes providing young people with access to learning and work opportunities, skills, experience and an income.
“One of our most successful programmes has been the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Today, that stimulus has created in excess of 2.5 million work and livelihood opportunities. More than eight in ten of these opportunities have gone to young people, and two-thirds to women. It has enabled the most rapid expansion of public employment in our history,” Ramaphosa said.
The President said the initiative stands out for its impact on participants’ prospects and the contribution it makes in the communities where they work.
Last year, through the Basic Education Employment Initiative, 200,000 unemployed young people provided valuable support to nearly 22,000 schools in remote villages, townships, dense inner cities, special needs classrooms and farm schools.
“The programme is giving young people their first foothold in the world of work while strengthening the foundations of learning in the schools that need it most,” he said.
Another successful programme, the Social Employment Fund, offers part-time work for young people in social development initiatives such as education, food and agriculture, health care, environmental improvement and safety.
Through the SA Youth online platform, more than 5.7 million young people can now search for opportunities, helping to overcome barriers such as transport and data costs. To date, the intervention has facilitated access to more than 2.3 million earning opportunities.
The revitalised National Youth Service has placed more than 132,000 young people in paid service opportunities in their communities.
However the President acknowledged that much work remains. He said the scale of the challenge demands sustained and deepened efforts.
Ramaphosa called for sustained collaboration between government, business and civil society to expand opportunities further, saying every sector must contribute to opening doors for young people.
“Every company, every department, every organisation and every South African who can open a door for a young person must do so. Your country sees your potential and will work with you to ensure that you realise it.”