WATCH: Election on employment: ‘For young people, the space is almost closed’
As of May, South Africa's youth unemployment rate stood at 45.8% for those under 35, and 60.9% for under 25s.
Ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections, young adults in the Northern Cape are being urged not to succumb to political despair, as politicians may overlook their concerns amid other pressing issues. At Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley, a graduate from SPU who feels abandoned by the labor market highlights the struggles faced by young people when deciding on their political allegiance.
Lethabo Makweya, a media graduate, expressed her concerns about the unemployment rate, the lack of affordable housing, racial politics, corruption, and the overall suffering of black people.
Dr. Sandiso Mahlala, head of SPU's public administration department, and Dr. Simbarashe Gukurume, a humanities lecturer, discussed the challenges faced by the youth in the province. They emphasized that the gap in lived realities between political elites and the youth is a significant factor contributing to youth apathy. Political leaders were urged to go beyond empty promises and address the real issues faced by the younger generation.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts a surge of around 75 million jobs by 2030 due to technology, but South Africa's readiness to benefit from this is unclear. The lack of employment opportunities creates an environment where substance abuse, unwanted pregnancies, and transactional relationships are more prevalent. Dr. Mahlala noted that the lack of employment becomes an inescapable pit, even making it unaffordable to search for a job.
Dr. Gukurume pointed out that older generations are staying employed longer, limiting the number of young professionals entering the labor market. He highlighted the difficulty faced by young people in gaining experience and taking up leadership positions, as internships rarely lead to permanent positions.
StatsSA's August quarterly labor statistics revealed that 45.4% of those under 35 were not in employment, education, or training, while 74.8% of those aged 15-24 were inactive members of the labor force. This has created a sense of disillusionment among the youth, who feel disillusioned with the older political generation and the current political system.
The academics emphasized the breakdown in trust between the youth and the old political elite, who have made numerous promises during election seasons but delivered little.
The academics also highlighted the impact of global shifts on the youth, with 54% of WEF executives expecting large language models and artificial intelligence to displace existing jobs. However, only 12% believed these technologies would positively impact wages. Dr. Gukurume pointed out that the adoption of these technologies promises systemic gains in productivity but raises critical questions about economic inclusion, values, trust, and resilience.
Sol Plaatje University is working to instill a culture of self-sufficiency in their students, emphasizing entrepreneurship to help the youth become both employees and employers. The academics emphasized the importance of the youth's "civic duty," urging them to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election on November 4th.
They believe that if the youth vote en masse, they can help shape the future leaders of the country and fight for the changes they believe in.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
