September Edited. The SA Government is implementing several collaborative initiatives to tackle youth unemployment, focusing on improving labour market functioning through skills training, work experience, entrepreneurship support, and wage subsidies.
This was revealed by Deputy President Paul Mashatile when he responded to oral questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday last week. He said government is using labour-intensive programmes, such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), Public Employment Programmes, and the Community Work Programme (CWP), to provide temporary employment and income support, to unemployed youth in sectors like infrastructure, environment, and social services.
He related the Cabinet approved Phase V of the EPWP in February 2024 to overcome youth employment. It aims to create five million work opportunities between April 2024 and March 2029, with an estimated five-year budget of R178 billion. “This programme is to provide young people access to jobs in mass projects such as road maintenance, inclusive of pothole repairs, public infrastructure development, public space beautification, waste management, and social services.”
In addition the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) collaborates with social partners, including business, labour, and civil society, to develop and implement a collective response to youth unemployment.
“The rate of unemployment in our country is indeed a concern to all of us,” Mashatile said. Last month, speaking as Chairperson of the HRDC at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg last month, the Deputy President cited Statistics South Africa figures, which revealed that more than 3.5 million young people aged between 15-24 are disconnected from both the labour market and the education system. Research from the SA Labour Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town also highlighted the heterogeneous nature of the unemployed youth. According to data, more than half of unemployed youth not in employment, education and training have been searching for work for over a year, underscoring the systemic barriers they face in securing a foothold in the labour market.
Last month, South Africa launched the official Jet Skills Desk, National Jet Skills Advisory Forum, and Multi-Donor Initiative. Through the National Skills Development Plan and the National Skills Fund. Mashatile said government works with social partners, the private sector, and educational institutions to equip youth and marginalised groups with market-relevant skills to boost job creation initiatives.
These joint initiatives are designed to provide leadership and coordination for a demand-driven skills development agenda, empowering disadvantaged and marginalised groups to access employment and entrepreneurship in the green economy.
In addition, the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the Department of Defence, has conceptualised the South African National Defence Force-led National Youth Service Programme.
The programme aims to empower women, youth, and persons with disabilities to become emerging industrialists in agriculture, energy security, aerospace, maritime, the digital economy, and defence sectors.
“As government, we are committed to moving from fragmented efforts to an integrated national programme that encompasses skills development, economic opportunity, workplace experience, entrepreneurship support, soft skills, and civic education to foster resilience and adaptability,” Mashatile added. info source: edited: SAnews
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