Without some decisive policy decisions and strategic actions, the latest report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and South Africa National Human Development (SANHDR) clearly warned that continued youth unemployment threatens the social and political stability of South Africa.
The report titled, “Harnessing the Employability of South Africa’s Youth”, looked at youth unemployment in South Africa through a human development lens.
The report which was developed by UNDP and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), highlighted that youth unemployment in South Africa was not merely a problem but a defining development challenge that limited the earning potential of youth, hindered economic growth, threatened social cohesion, and put pressure on public resources.
Accordingly, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said that in addressing youth unemployment, the country would simultaneously address poverty and income inequality.
The report presented a concerning outlook on the escalating youth unemployment in South Africa, which stood at 61% for youth aged 14–24 years and 39.9% for youth aged 25–34 years, as per data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2022.
Mashatile said he hoped this report would shine the light on the blind spots in the work government was doing to fight youth unemployment.
Simultaneously, the report highlighted the overall national unemployment rate, which stood at 32.7%. However, it acknowledged that this figure masked significant disparities among provinces, with rates ranging from 22.5% in the Western Cape province to as high as 42.4% in the Eastern Cape.
The report found that in order to tackle the high and complex youth unemployment challenge in South Africa, and to take advantage of the opportunities of the future of work, the country had to extensively invest in the 21st-century skills of its younger generation.
It further found that policy options for overcoming youth joblessness in South Africa were available. It suggested that, drawing on those and learning from other countries' experiences, the country should pursue an action agenda for expanding youth employment.
The SANHDR proposed a comprehensive strategy consisting of five key elements to tackle youth unemployment in the country.
These elements include:
1. Developing strategic approaches for youth to transition into sustainable livelihoods.
2. Generating and taking advantage of job opportunities and the demographic dividend.
3. Harnessing the potential of the evolving job market.
4. Reviving the National Youth Service Scheme.
5. Forming partnerships with various stakeholders to address the issue.
“Prolonged joblessness can lead to a lost generation through the erosion of skills and human capital. In this regard, weaning youth from dependence on social grants to productive employment and entrepreneurship is critical to addressing this crisis,” said Dr Ayodele Odusolaa, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa.
He added that given that knowledge, skills and expertise were the currencies of the 21st century, continuous investment in these elements was critical to meaningful results.
IOL