Ahead of Youth Day, President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is pressing ahead with structural reforms, infrastructure investment and targeted job-creation programmes to drive inclusive growth and reduce youth unemployment.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said government is investing in a massive infrastructure programme and implementing far-reaching reforms to boost competitiveness, while a second investment drive has secured R890 billion in new pledges over the past year.
However, he cautioned that these efforts would take time to translate into jobs.
“And even as the economy grows, young people may still find it difficult to participate in that growth. We know that for many young South Africans, the promise of democracy can feel distant when jobs are scarce, when opportunities seem out of reach and when qualifications do not always lead to employment.
“Many of you are working hard, applying for jobs, pursuing training and seeking opportunities, only to face disappointment. We hear these frustrations, and we understand that they are real,” Ramaphosa 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.
“Because it is part-time, participants get regular and predictable income while spending the rest of their time looking for work, exploring business opportunities or improving their skills.
“Alongside these public and social employment programmes, the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention is steadily dismantling the barriers that keep young people locked out of the labour market,” the President said.
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.
“These are young people learning the dignity of work while giving back to the society that raised them. The Youth Employment Service, which is a business initiative, places young people in quality year-long work experience opportunities in companies across the country.
“We are also pioneering smarter ways of spending training funds. The Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund pays for training for young people only when they are placed in a real, quality job. It is a model that demands results,” the President said.
He emphasised that behind each of these figures is a young person whose dignity has been restored, whose confidence has been renewed and whose horizons have broadened.
“Although these opportunities are mostly short-term, there are thousands of stories of young people who have used them as a stepping stone towards finding a permanent job, starting a small business or studying towards a new career.
“The value of these opportunities can be measured not merely by what young people earn while they’re in the programme, but by what they leave with: skills, experience, self-esteem and a sense of purpose,” Ramaphosa said.
The President acknowledged that much work remains.
He said the scale of the challenge demands sustained and deepened efforts.
“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.
“Let us together build a South Africa in which every young person finds their place in an inclusive economy and in a thriving society,” the President concluded. -SAnews.gov.za
