Youth unemployment used as tool of oppression

IN THE lead-up to the Budget speech, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana used unemployment as justification for increasing VAT, despite SARS Commissioner Mr Edward Kieswetter, warning that this approach has never been effective in the past.

- AWAM MAVIMBELA A registered social worker, former Walter Sisulu University Lecturer, PhD candidate with University of the Free State, and a published author.

He further threatened that if VAT were not raised, 157 000 teaching jobs would be lost. This is psychological manipulation at its best, exhibiting fear while knowing full well that these job losses would only add to the existing 12 million unemployed and depressed South African youth.

In fact, the Gauteng government has leveraged youth unemployment in exchange for political support and votes. After the elections, 66 000 people – mostly young and black – lost their jobs and Gauteng premier admitted that those jobs were for elections.

Oppression is scholarly defined as mental pressure or distress. Youth unemployment creates immense psychological strain, leading to depression and desperation, This vulnerability and desperation is then exploited by both the government and the private sector, which impose high workloads, low wages, and increased profits at the expense of young workers.

Department of Education has also taken advantage of unemployment by hiring qualified educators as Education Assistants (EAs), paying them significantly less than a standard teaching salary.