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MBABANE – It seems some young people are slowly giving up on ever getting employed in Eswatini.
This follows a social media debate over the issue of unemployed graduates in the country.
This conversation was sparked by the story of Mbazo Tsabedze, who stood at the busy road near Kia Motors last Tuesday carrying a placard pleading for a job from members of the public.
Worth noting is that, Tsabedze has since received about five job offers due to his demonstration on Tuesday.
On social media platform, Twitter, some emaSwati decried the unavailability of jobs in the country, with some stating that at the rate things were going, there was absolutely no way all educated young people would be absorbed by the corporate industry as well as other professions.
“But in 2022, good luck, guys and all the best with job hunting and keep knocking on those doors. And again, if you can, get out of Eswatini.
“One of the most painful things about being an educated young person in this country is that you could sit at home for years with your qualifications or if you get a job outside your qualification, you end up earning E5 000 monthly while responsibilities pile up. Again if you can, get out of Eswatini. Kute lutfo,” said one user with the username ‘King Cuddles’.
Other social media users also sympathised with unemployed graduates, highlighting that the worst part was that the longer they sat with their qualifications without any work, the more likely they were to not get jobs as these were the years where they ought to have been gaining experience to include in their Curriculum Vitaes (CVs).
“You sit at home with your certificates for years and then when you apply they will not consider you because you are currently not working and you do not even have experience. It’s a nightmare,” said one Sindile.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security
has said it is currently engaged in talks with the relevant stakeholders to address the unemployment issue in the country.
This was said by the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, John Hlophe, who said the unemployment situation in the country, was a ticking time bomb and this was an issue which no one was pleased with.
“To see educated young people languishing at home due to no work opportunities is sad to witness even for me. The unemployment issue is painful because you tend to ask yourself where are we heading and what the future holds for our children if they cannot be employed meaningfully,” said the PS.
When asked if there were developments from the talks with the stakeholders, he stated that there were jobs which were previously stated to have been created.
Worth noting is that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade last year indicated that 11 000 jobs had been created during the first half of the year.
Worrying
However, the Labour and Social Security PS said the issue now was that more opportunities were required as the unemployment rate was worrying and what was saddening was that these young people were mostly educated.
“I think the hiring process needs to also be put into consideration, where we are able to ensure that these graduates are hired because it is one thing for businesses and jobs to be created but the issue at hand, of the unemployed graduates should also be deliberated upon,” said Hlophe.
“We also need to ensure there is a way forward. I also need to engage further with the relevant stakeholders to see how best this issue can be addressed.”
Currently, the estimated unemployment rate in Eswatini is 23.4 per cent.