Pretoria: Government is currently implementing several collaborative initiatives to tackle youth unemployment, focusing on improving labour market functioning through skills training, work experience, entrepreneurship support, and wage subsidies.
According to South African Government News Agency, Deputy President Paul Mashatile responded to oral questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday, addressing concerns about the unemployment rate. “The rate of unemployment in our country is indeed a concern to all of us,” he stated.
Mashatile explained that the government is utilising labour-intensive programmes, such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), Public Employment Programmes, and the Community Work Programme (CWP), to provide temporary employment and income support, particularly to unemployed youth in sectors like infrastructure, environment, and social services. Cabinet approved Phase V of the EPWP in February 2024, aiming to create five million work opportunities between April 2024 and March 2029, with an estimated five-year budget of R178 billion.
“This programme intends to address youth unemployment by providing young people access to jobs in mass projects such as road maintenance, inclusive of pothole repairs, public infrastructure development, public space beautification, waste management, and social services,” Mashatile elaborated.
Through the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), chaired by Mashatile, the government collaborates with social partners, including business, labour, and civil society, to develop and implement a collective response to youth unemployment. At the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg last month, the Deputy President cited Statistics South Africa figures, revealing that over 3.5 million young people aged between 15 and 24 are disconnected from both the labour market and the education system.
Research from the South African Labour Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town also highlighted the varied nature of the unemployed youth. Data indicates that more than half of unemployed youth not in employment, education, and training have been searching for work for over a year, underscoring the systemic barriers they face in securing a foothold in the labour market.
Additionally, through the National Skills Development Plan and the National Skills Fund, Mashatile noted that the government works with social partners, the private sector, and educational institutions to equip youth and marginalised groups with market-relevant skills to boost job creation initiatives. Last month, South Africa launched the official Jet Skills Desk, National Jet Skills Advisory Forum, and Multi-Donor Initiative, aimed at providing leadership and coordination for a demand-driven skills development agenda, empowering disadvantaged groups in the green economy.
Furthermore, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Department of Defence, has conceptualised the South African National Defence Force-led National Youth Service Programme. This initiative seeks to empower women, youth, and persons with disabilities to become emerging industrialists in sectors such as agriculture, energy security, aerospace, maritime, the digital economy, and defence.
“As government, we are committed to moving from fragmented efforts to an integrated national programme that encompasses skills development, economic opportunity, workplace experience, entrepreneurship support, soft skills, and civic education to foster resilience and adaptability,” Mashatile added.