SA's youth unemployment breeds sexual exploitation, GBFV scourge among young women
Image: File
South Africa's reported 62.4% youth unemployment rate has made young women vulnerable to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychosis due to substance abuse as a result of transactional sex borne out of limited employment opportunities.
This is according to the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), following a study presented by Clinical Psychologist Sibongile Sibanyoni, which revealed shocking evidence that economic hardship, gender inequality, and social media trends are driving the "blesser/blessee" relationships between older men and young women and girls in South Africa.
While politicians and some in the private sector ponder the country's economic hardships due to high levels of unemployment, NSMSA National Coordinator, Anisa Moosa, stated: 'Our biggest concern about these blesser/blessee relationships is their contribution to gender-based violence. The dependency of a young girl on a grown man is dangerous, not only for her physical well-being but psychologically too.'
Early this month, the Quarter 1 2025 quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa reported that youth unemployment has risen by over 10 percentage points in the last 10 years, indicating that young people aged 15-34 face an unemployment burden of 46.1%, which has gone up from 36.9% recorded in 2015.
This comes as Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie recently courted controversy when he said that the country's unemployment rate, which was 32.9% for the first quarter, would be closer to 10% if self-employed people and those working in informal markets were counted.
Last month, Sibanyoni, who presented her research findings in a webinar hosted by the NSMSA, indicated that 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas were engaging in sexual relationships with older men, adding that there is reliable evidence of psychological impact on some of them.
Her findings are also backed by a 2017 Wits University study by Oncemore Mbeve, a doctoral researcher in the African Centre for Migration and Society whose study, titled, "Understanding transactional sex among young women in South Africa: a study based in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces", linked transactional sex with limited economic opportunities among women in South Africa and other parts of the continent.
"Transactional sex in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is rife, and financial constraints are a major driver. Quantitative studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggest that young women who are involved in transactional sex are nearly two or more than three times vulnerable to HIV. The young women are involved in transactional sex with older men to access financial needs for survival as well as for purposes of consumerism."
Sibanyoni's study also uncovered that there is a common thread of early relationships with absent or unreliable caregivers that influences an individual's ability to form and maintain emotional bonds in adulthood.
The lack of financial dependability on caregivers causes the young women to develop a dependency and need for security.
Reacting to the insights from the NSMSA and Sibanyoni's findings, Siyabulela Monakali, spokesperson for Ilitha Labantu, an anti-GBVF movement, confirmed a "devastating and heartbreaking" link between high levels of youth unemployment and transactional sex.
Monakali stated that this has made the situation unbearable for women and young girls.
"South Africa's youth unemployment rate, currently at an alarming 63.9%, according to Stats SA, creates a harsh reality for many young women and girls, especially in townships and vulnerable communities. Without access to economic opportunities, they often face the impossible choice of relying on transactional sexual relationships to meet their basic needs.
"What is deeply troubling is that perpetrators are fully aware of this vulnerability. They exploit young women's desperate situations, using their economic power to control and manipulate them. This is not a matter of choice or agency. It is a reflection of systemic failure to provide the economic and social safety nets that young women deserve," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Maverick
14 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Comedian Celeste Ntuli's weight of truth encompasses laughter, stigma and the obesity crisis
'In African families, losing weight invites suspicion. 'Are you okay? Are you sick?' they'll ask. Gain weight? 'Oh, you're happy and being taken care of.' That's the framework many of us grew up with,' says comedian Celeste Ntuli. South Africa's beloved comedian, Celeste Ntuli, has built a career on making people laugh. But when she speaks about her lifelong struggle with obesity, the humour carries an edge of truth. Experts warn that the condition is a chronic disease driving hypertension, type 2 diabetes and more than 230 health complications. The 46-year-old comedian and actress, who grew up in rural Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, recalls being the only overweight child in her family. Ntuli grew up in a family of four sisters, but was the only one who carried extra weight. 'All my sisters are slim — I was the odd one out,' she said. 'At home, it was always, 'What happened to you?' as if I'd done something wrong.' She believes her body type comes from her aunts, rather than her parents. 'I inherited their curves and size — it's in my DNA. I didn't choose this body; I was born into it.' However, in her community, size was never stigmatised. 'Being big was not just acceptable — it was celebrated. I watched my aunts, and older women, proudly carry their size. From them, I learnt that shame can be attached to your body, yes — but I also learnt to carry it with dignity,' she said. But things changed when she went to school in Durban. Her quick wit became both shield and weapon. 'Humour became my armour. I learnt to crack a joke before anyone else could, or expose their weakness, to disarm any body shaming at school.' As Ntuli's career grew, public scrutiny of her body sharpened. 'On stage, my size was part of the punchline — sometimes mine, sometimes theirs. Off stage, it became a conversation about health, beauty and worth. And those are not easy conversations in a world obsessed with body image.' She highlighted the cultural nuance that still frames weight in South Africa. 'In African families, losing weight invites suspicion. 'Are you okay? Are you sick?' they'll ask. Gain weight? 'Oh, you're happy and being taken care of.' That's the framework many of us grew up with.' Now prediabetic, Ntuli has shifted her focus. 'We must separate health from this narrow definition of beauty,' she said. Food, for her, has always carried deep meaning. 'Food for me is love — it's family, it's comfort, it's culture.' Her tastes remain rooted in tradition. She laughed as she described inyama yenhloko — the whole cow's head — as one of the best meals, 'with no translation in English'. This dish, a staple in many South African cultures, is often prepared for special occasions and celebrations. Friends and family, she added, know her for a good curry. At the same time, her most nostalgic food memory is a bowl of maas, the fermented milk she affectionately calls 'rural couscous', a staple from her childhood. She insisted: 'I love food — who doesn't? But loving food shouldn't mean I hate my body. The two can coexist — enjoyment and health — but it takes knowledge, access to resources and, at times, medical intervention.' In a battle to lose weight, Ntuli admitted to trying everything from intermittent fasting to boot camps, gym and even attempting a gruelling 15km run. 'I died after an hour at that boot camp,' she joked. Her search for quick fixes once took a bizarre turn. 'I once drank urine because someone said it would help me lose weight,' she recalled, pulling a face. 'It was the most horrible thing I've ever done — I'll never do that again.' Despite the missteps, she remains pragmatic. 'I try to stay disciplined, but sometimes my working schedule, previous injuries, or just life get in the way. I've learnt to give myself grace.' Ntuli spoke to Daily Maverick on the sidelines of the Novo Nordisk Wegovy media launch last week in Rosebank. A public health emergency Ntuli's story is far from unique. South Africa has one of the highest obesity rates in sub-Saharan Africa: two in three women (68%) and nearly one in three men (31%) are overweight or obese, according to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA). The consequences go beyond aesthetics — obesity is a chronic disease recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) linked to more than 230 health conditions, from type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 2.4 million adults in South Africa live with type 2 diabetes, with most cases directly linked to excess body fat. The financial cost is staggering: overweight and obesity cost the public health system R33-billion annually, about 15% of the government health expenditure, a figure that should raise concerns about the economic impact of this public health crisis. Dr Kershlin Naidu, a Midrand-based specialist endocrinologist with decades of experience treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, has sounded the alarm: 'We are dealing with a public health crisis hiding in plain sight.' Naidu added: 'Obesity is not simply a matter of willpower or lifestyle choice — it is a chronic, relapsing condition.' Sara Norcross, general manager of Novo Nordisk South Africa, added: 'Obesity is not a choice — no one wakes up and decides to be obese. It is a chronic disease, and we must stop reducing it to myths and moral failings.' Moving beyond blame Experts stress that focusing on 'eat less, move more' oversimplifies the issue. Professor Arya M Sharma, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta, told the Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Africa Summit 2025 in Cape Town: 'Some people are naturally slender, but most sit on a spectrum where genetics and biology dictate weight gain, even with identical diets and activity levels.' He explained that the brain's powerful homeostatic system was designed to defend body weight against loss. 'The minute you stop dieting, your weight fights to return,' he said. Another brain system, the hedonic or reward system, drives eating for pleasure rather than hunger, making sustained weight loss a complex battle against deeply rooted biology. Living with the weight of stigma For Ntuli, stigma often bites deeper than the medical realities. 'Your body tells your story, but it's not the whole book. We deserve to write chapters about joy, movement, breathing easily when we walk upstairs — not just how we look in photos.' Her honesty struck a chord during the Rosebank obesity awareness event, at which she spoke of the guilt, excuses and exhaustion that often come with fluctuating weight. She admitted she sometimes avoids exercise, not out of laziness, but because of injury fears, long workdays, or sheer fatigue. 'I genuinely feel like my life is one long treadmill — up at five, home after midnight. So sometimes I just can't.' Yet she carries her size with humour and defiance. She quipped about body shaming: 'I've got comebacks for days. If someone comments on my weight at a family gathering, I remind them of their faults (like not finishing matric) — and they keep quiet.' Ntuli reflected on how weight filters into her personal life, particularly dating. 'I've dated guys who actually prefer big women,' she said, laughing. 'But society doesn't always allow you to believe that love and attraction can exist outside narrow beauty standards. I've had to learn to carry myself confidently — because if I don't, people assume size means insecurity.' Yet, as she put it, 'I am single and I don't have children.' She explained herself in unprovoked honesty: 'I am a leaver,' she said, explaining that if something doesn't feel right in relationships or life, she chooses to walk away rather than remain unhappy. While the pharmaceutical company hosted the Rosebank event, Ntuli's presence underscored a broader message: obesity is not only about new medications, but about lived experiences, culture, stigma and survival. Ntuli's voice — mixing mischief, vulnerability, and insight — places human stories at the centre of a national crisis too often reduced to statistics or industry product launches. Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, told Daily Maverick: 'Endocrine disorders, including diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes), have been prioritised for review in the current phase of the Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List. All identified medicines — including glucagon-like peptide-1 agents such as semaglutide (Wegovy®) — will undergo rigorous health technology assessments as part of a comprehensive package for diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease management in South Africa.' DM
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Rooibos and broccoli protect the heart
Biochemist Sinenhlanhla Mthembu reveals how rooibos and broccoli can help combat heart disease, a leading cause of death in South Africa. Broccoli and rooibos, common food items in South Africa, have been found to help protect against the leading cause of death: heart disease. This significant finding has emerged from research conducted by a young biochemist at North-West University's (NWU) Mahikeng campus, Sinenhlanhla Mthembu. She embarked on a mission to explore the potential role of plant-based compounds in combating heart damage associated with metabolic disorders. After dedicated research for her PhD degree, for which she graduated in July, Mthembu successfully demonstrated that both broccoli and rooibos possess the ability to protect the heart. Broccoli and rooibos can protect heart KwaZulu-Natal-born Mthembu, 27, had set herself on a research journey with a special focus. She had people in mind and how this lifestyle disease had now begun to devastate rural communities due to changing lifestyles. 'I was motivated by a desire to tackle real health challenges that affect people's lives,' Mthembu says. ALSO READ: [REVIEW] Huawei's Watch Fit 4 Pro an Apple watch killer? 'Heart disease and lipid-related disorders are major concerns, especially in South Africa, and I wanted to explore how everyday foods like rooibos and broccoli, foods many of us enjoy daily, can protect the heart.' Mthembu's study addressed the question why cardiovascular complications continue to rise, despite the availability of conventional therapies. The findings point to affordable, plant-based interventions as a potential solution. Affordable, plant-based interventions While the body naturally produces disease-fighting antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10, which is critical for heart health, metabolic complications such as dyslipidemia can disrupt these molecules, she says. 'Natural compounds such as aspalathin from rooibos and sulforaphane from broccoli can restore antioxidants, improve energy metabolism and shield heart cells from oxidative damage. 'This could improve outcomes for patients facing cardiovascular complications.' ALSO READ: Lifesaving heart surgery gives baby Oaheng a second chance to shine Mthembu is grateful to the South African Medical Research Council that supported her during her studies. But she reserved special thanks to her mentor and supervisor, Prof Sithandiwe Mazibuko-Mbeje from the biochemistry department 'who supported not only my lab work but also my dreams'. NWU vice-chancellor and principal Prof Bismark Tyobeka spoke about the young scientist's research work and how it would put NWU on the world map. Noting Mthembu's excellent research outcomes and alluding to her humble rural background, Tyobeka said, 'one's origins do not dictate one's potential and destination'. Cardiovascular disease top 3 causes of death in SA According to Discovery, cardiovascular disease is one of the top three causes of death in South Africa, ahead of HIV/Aids and TB combined in terms of mortality. The South African Heart Association said the disease was among the top three causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Discovery said approximately 78 475 people die from heart disease annually, or about 215 deaths per day in South Africa. NOW READ: The silent threat of hyperlipidaemia lurking in everyday joys
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
University jumps in to fight SA's GBV
The president has declared GBV as a pandemic in South Africa. Activists fighting against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and crime experts are welcoming North-West University's (NWU) launch of a GBVF Empowerment Centre. It was recently launched at the NWU Vanderbijlpark campus to serve as a one-stop hub offering psychosocial support, legal case navigation and proactive advocacy. Key partners include the Gauteng department of Community Safety, Sonke Gender Justice, Higher Health, Ikhaya le Themba Empowerment Centre and international collaborators such as University College Dublin and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. Dr Vedhna Dayanand-Lalla from NWU said, 'The president has noted that South Africa is facing a GBVF pandemic. ' Like other institutions of higher learning, we have encountered cases of GBVF. Through the centre, we aim to address all GBVF matters effectively and efficiently. 'The centre will adhere to a strict professional and confidential process. Social workers from Ikhaya le Themba will be at the centre twice a week to provide professional services. 'Vereeniging SA Police Service members will work closely with us to ensure a smooth and qualified process for all cases. 'We plan to train student leaders to respond to trauma in a supportive manner, especially as first responders within the residences. 'We hope to include social work students and honours psychology students as interns at the centre in the near future. 'We envision a focus on research alongside community service. We hope the centre will generate quality research that will serve as the foundation for our interventions while contributing to preventative processes and programmes.' The centre will be open to the surrounding community. To kick-start community education, they partnered with Ubuntu Evolution Hub, which will train 52 school principals on GBVF, handling and reporting statutory rape, HIV/Aids and pupil pregnancy. GBV activist Prince Ntsikelelo Soga, executive director of the organisation I Am That Man, said the centre would bridge critical gaps in offering psychosocial care, legal guidance and proactive advocacy under one roof. Willem Els of the Institute for Security Studies said it was part of the bigger strategy needed, as government and law enforcement agencies do not have enough impact. – [email protected]
