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Youth unemployment is a moral emergency
Mashatile urged young people to consider starting their own businesses instead of waiting for employment opportunities.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has conceded that young people in South Africa are not living the future they hoped for.
This is amid the high levels of unemployment, inequality, and a lack of access to opportunities, especially in the digital world.
'As the government, we acknowledge that, for these young people, their reality remains untenable, undesirable, and unsustainable,' said Mashatile in his Youth Day address in North West.
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According to Stats SA, young people between the ages of 15 and 34 make up just over half of South Africa's working-age population, approximately 20.9 million people.
'However, far too many of them can't find work, especially those between the ages of 15 and 24,' said Mashatile.
The country's unemployment rate has increased to 32.9%. The figure goes up to 43.1% if we include people who have given up looking for work.
'What is also deeply worrying is the growing number of young people who are not in Education, Employment, or Training.'
The current figure stands at about 3.8 million. Among 15–24-year-olds, 37.1% fall into this category, with young women being slightly more affected than young men. When considering the broader age group of 15–34 years, the rate is even higher, at 45.1%. Graduates are not spared from this onslaught either, with nearly one in four graduates (23.9%) struggling to secure employment.
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'This is more than just an economic issue. It is a moral emergency. It affects our entire society and demands urgent action from all sectors – government, business, and the broader community.
We must address the structural challenges in our economy to tackle inequality and skills mismatches between education and the job market's needs,' said Mashatile.
Mashatile on entrepreneurship
Mashatile urged young people to consider starting their own businesses instead of waiting for employment opportunities.
'In this day and age, entrepreneurship is one of the keys to building a better future.'
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Mashatile highlighted the government's various programmes to support young entrepreneurs, including financial assistance, business development services, and skills training.
The National Youth Development Agency's Grant Programme and Youth Challenge Fund are key initiatives, alongside the launch of a R20 billion annual Transformation Fund for the next five years, aimed at boosting Black-owned businesses and historically disadvantaged groups.
'However, I believe that young people require more than hope and resilience to thrive. They need policy support and access to capital and markets for their goods and services. And above all, they need a coordinated ecosystem that recognises that, by working together, we can do more to create an enabling environment for young people.'
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