South Africa needs a national, co-ordinated plan of action to create jobs for youth

Last week’s quarterly labour force statistics confirm what we already knew: South Africa’s unemployment levels are among the highest in the world, and pose long-term challenges for the future of our society.

We know that a year after leaving school more than two-thirds of young people are still not able to find a job or continue their education.

This crisis, confirmed in last week’s report, shows that the number of youth aged 18 to 34 who are employed has now hit an all-time low of 42%.

Although the statistics are sobering, it comes as no surprise to the millions of jobless young people whose realities are complex and challenging.

Take the case of 25-year-old Nothando Vilakazi, who has several dependants, and lives in Dube, Soweto. Vilakazi had looked for work for more than two years when, during the pandemic, it became possible to install fibre in Dube, allowing her to take calls for Callforce.

Her ability to work from home as a call-centre agent has allowed her to earn an income and also given her the flexibility to care for her dependants.

Vilakazi’s job-hunt experience is the reality of millions of young people who comprise the real human stories behind the statistics. And yet she has shown the system that, if we address her barriers, she has much to offer.

There is reason to bemoan the depth of the crisis, but there is also reason to work for progress.

The unemployment crisis predated the pandemic. Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator’s experience is that the pandemic sprung many plans into action, with early signs of successful implementation.

The government’s employment stimulus programme has been one such example, with evidence that more than 500 000 young people benefitted from it.

In an era of poor job growth, such programmes can provide a temporary leg-up to many people. We need to support, recognise and clear the path for the many youth that will gain experience in these programmes, but also make sure they are efficiently run and reach those young people who are most excluded.

But, however timely, governmentsupported programmes will not replace the security of sustainable jobs. South Africa can capitalise on its youth dividend to both create new jobs and reshore high-paying jobs and income-generating opportunities, such as software testers, back to the country.

We need to expand this lens of inclusive job creation to other, highgrowth sectors. But it is not possible without co-ordinated action across government and the private sector — and with a focused emphasis on inclusion.

If we are to make a lasting dent in unemployment, we need to address the real barriers that keep young people like Vilakazi out of the labour market, such as connectivity and data issues, as well as the high costs of transport, or the issue of degree requirements for entry-level jobs.

To turn the crisis around, we need to believe in the power and potential of young people like Vilakazi, but also, importantly, to join forces towards a national, co-ordinated plan of action that creates new jobs in growth sectors for excluded youth, gets millions of young people on a pathway to earning, and dismantles barriers to accessing opportunities at every step.