The month of June holds great significance in SA. It is designated as Youth Month, and June 16 as National Youth Day. The commemoration of Youth Month is a recognition of the role that young people played in the struggle against apartheid, particularly the 1976 Soweto Uprising that defined the course of history.
On this day, the apartheid regime opened fire on more than 20,000 protesting students, killing hundreds. The intention of such a brutal reaction to students protesting the draconian laws of apartheid was to silence the resistance of a demographic whose militancy it feared. But the unintended consequence was that the Soweto Uprising highlighted the brutality of the apartheid regime and contributed to international condemnation of its policies, with the UN Security Council passing Resolution 392, condemning the violence and the apartheid government.
Youth Month is a time to reflect on the sacrifices and contributions of the class of ’76 as well as a commitment to empowering today's youth. But across SA, young people are growing increasingly despondent about their prospects in one of the most unequal countries in the world.
The triple challenge of structural inequality, poverty and unemployment, while universal, is increasingly assuming a youthful face. The youth unemployment rate is consistently higher than the overall national unemployment rate, which currently sits at 32.9%.
For the first quarter of 2025, the number of unemployed youth aged 15-34 rose by 151,000 to 4.8m, while the number of employed youth dropped by 153,000 to 5.7m. Thus, the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025.
Youth unemployment in SA has severe social, economic, and psychological consequences. It leads to poverty, social exclusion, crime, and a decline in overall social cohesion. Additionally, it impacts the national economy by hindering productivity, slowing down growth, and eroding human capital.
The psychological effects on unemployed youth are not less devastating – with many unemployed young people battling with mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. Researchers contend that unemployment is a public health crisis that contributes to higher rates of chronic diseases, increased reliance on healthcare services and medication, and earlier mortality.
The serious implications of youth unemployment make the issue a national emergency that demands interventions grounded in a multipronged approach. Such an approach must focus on improving education and skills development, stimulating economic growth, and creating job opportunities through entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships.
Enhancing education and skills development demands that we equip the youth with skills relevant to the job market, including technical and vocational education. Furthermore, we must strive to make digital technologies and business management skills compulsory for all learners as a means of supporting entrepreneurship education.
This must be strengthened by providing funding, mentorship, and access to markets for young entrepreneurs, particularly those from historically disadvantaged communities, as small and medium enterprises are vital job creators.
OPINION | Let us honour class of ’76 by ensuring govt, business work together to create jobs
Youth Month is a time to reflect on sacrifices and contributions of the youth of 1976, as well as a commitment to empower today's youth
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
The month of June holds great significance in SA. It is designated as Youth Month, and June 16 as National Youth Day. The commemoration of Youth Month is a recognition of the role that young people played in the struggle against apartheid, particularly the 1976 Soweto Uprising that defined the course of history.
On this day, the apartheid regime opened fire on more than 20,000 protesting students, killing hundreds. The intention of such a brutal reaction to students protesting the draconian laws of apartheid was to silence the resistance of a demographic whose militancy it feared. But the unintended consequence was that the Soweto Uprising highlighted the brutality of the apartheid regime and contributed to international condemnation of its policies, with the UN Security Council passing Resolution 392, condemning the violence and the apartheid government.
Youth Month is a time to reflect on the sacrifices and contributions of the class of ’76 as well as a commitment to empowering today's youth. But across SA, young people are growing increasingly despondent about their prospects in one of the most unequal countries in the world.
The triple challenge of structural inequality, poverty and unemployment, while universal, is increasingly assuming a youthful face. The youth unemployment rate is consistently higher than the overall national unemployment rate, which currently sits at 32.9%.
For the first quarter of 2025, the number of unemployed youth aged 15-34 rose by 151,000 to 4.8m, while the number of employed youth dropped by 153,000 to 5.7m. Thus, the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025.
Youth unemployment in SA has severe social, economic, and psychological consequences. It leads to poverty, social exclusion, crime, and a decline in overall social cohesion. Additionally, it impacts the national economy by hindering productivity, slowing down growth, and eroding human capital.
The psychological effects on unemployed youth are not less devastating – with many unemployed young people battling with mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. Researchers contend that unemployment is a public health crisis that contributes to higher rates of chronic diseases, increased reliance on healthcare services and medication, and earlier mortality.
The serious implications of youth unemployment make the issue a national emergency that demands interventions grounded in a multipronged approach. Such an approach must focus on improving education and skills development, stimulating economic growth, and creating job opportunities through entrepreneurship and public-private partnerships.
Enhancing education and skills development demands that we equip the youth with skills relevant to the job market, including technical and vocational education. Furthermore, we must strive to make digital technologies and business management skills compulsory for all learners as a means of supporting entrepreneurship education.
This must be strengthened by providing funding, mentorship, and access to markets for young entrepreneurs, particularly those from historically disadvantaged communities, as small and medium enterprises are vital job creators.
One of the key challenges that impede on the government’s ability to stimulate job creation at a greater scale is a constrained fiscus that must cater for competing priorities. This necessitates a collaboration with businesses to create internship and apprenticeship programs that offer young people valuable work experience.
The private sector must also support youth entrepreneurship initiatives through mentorship and funding. These strategies empower young individuals and enhance their employability. Collaboration between the government and businesses is the only way to tackle youth unemployment effectively and sustainably.
Addressing the scourge of youth unemployment is not only a development and moral imperative for SA – it is a way of ensuring that the sacrifices of the class of ’76 are not in vain.
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