Give SA's Youth a Chance

Actionable Solutions: Unemployment Crisis Can Become an Opportunity

- Thabiso Mthembu

When it recently emerged that nearly 200,000 young people had applied for about 5,500 police jobs, it became clear that South Africa is battling a severe youth unemployment crisis.

This surge in applications indicates many young people seeking employment are in a desperate situation. They are not just a statistic. They represent a generation facing lost opportunity, growing despair and a diminished future.

The country's long-standing struggle with joblessness among its youth has been made worse by a sluggish economy, the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic, rapid technological change and a persistent mismatch between the education system and labour market demands.

For many young South Africans, the job search feels like a dead end. Graduates send out hundreds of CVs that get no response. Those without tertiary education are even worse off, often lacking the skills needed for the limited jobs available.

Employers, meanwhile, are hesitant to hire individuals with no experience, creating a vicious cycle.

The roots of this crisis are deep. The South African education system, despite reforms, continues to produce many school leavers who lack the skills required for the modern economy.