FORMER Anglican archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane has warned that the high levels of youth unemployment in the country are a recipe for disaster and a possible revolution.

FORMER Anglican archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane has warned that the high levels of youth unemployment in the country are a recipe for disaster and a possible revolution.

Ndungane told Sowetan yesterday that he expected the government and the private sector to fight youth unemployment with the same vigour shown towards making the hosting of the World Cup a success.

"We need the political willpower from our government and business. It is possible to defeat unemployment if we can all pull together as we have seen with preparations for the World Cup," Ndungane said.

He said the government must start planning for children from as early as Grade R.

"Every child must be monitored from that stage, there must be a holistic plan for that child so that when he/she graduates from the system that child is ready to face the world.

"Current unemployed youth must be accommodated in programmes that help to develop them until a stage when there is work that is available," Ndungane said.

"Young people with education are living in poverty and they are not happy about that situation."

Ndungane said that during poverty hearings conducted throughout the country last year, young unemployed people who were interviewed felt helpless and hopeless.

"We need to work towards restoring the hope of young people who are not satisfied, if we do not do that we run a risk of another revolution," he said.

Ndungane said there had to be a plan of action to tackle unemployment, particularly of the young.