JOBLESS YOUTH WANT GUARANTEES

AS SOUTH Africa commemorates Youth Month, advocacy group United Africans Transformation (UAT) has called on government to give Mzansi’s jongmense economic guarantees.

According to the latest figures from Statistics South Africa, the national unemployment rate has climbed to 32.9 percent, with over 8.2 million South Africans jobless.

SA’s youth demographic is one of the largest on the continent, with over 19 million young people aged 15-34.

And they are one of the worst-hit segments of the population, with youth unemployment surging to 46.1 percent, up from 44.6 in the previous quarter.

UAT stated that, in absolute numbers, over 151 000 jongmense have lost their jobs within the last three month.

UAT is demanding a Youth Jobs Guarantee, a bold policy proposal that ensures no young person remains unemployed for more than six months without access to work, training, or public service opportunities.

The organisation also advocated for massive investment in youth-owned businesses, especially in marginalised areas, and the rapid rollout of community-based skills centres that offer practical training in high-demand sectors.

UAT spokesperson Thabo Mokoena says: “While Youth Month traditionally celebrates the resilience of the youth who fought against oppression in 1976, today’s young people are grappling with a different struggle marked by economic hardship, poverty, and political neglect...”