The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina, has called on South Africa’s private sector to help tackle youth unemployment by creating more internship opportunities for young graduates.
Speaking at a gala dinner hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in Johannesburg, Dr Gina described youth unemployment as a “national emergency” that demands immediate action. The event marked 20 years of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI) Graduate Internship Programme and celebrated 131 graduates who recently completed their two-year training.
Highlighting South Africa’s alarming youth unemployment rates—45.5% officially and 62.1% under the expanded definition—Dr Gina warned that the country is “sitting on a ticking time bomb” if bold measures are not taken.
“We need every employer in the private sector, municipalities, and state-owned enterprises to double their absorption of young graduates each year. The future of our country depends on it,” she said.
Since its launch in 2005, the DSTI Graduate Internship Programme—implemented by the HSRC—has provided over 7 600 unemployed graduates with valuable workplace experience and research skills in fields such as science, engineering, technology, humanities, and social sciences.
The programme’s success has also supported transformation: 91% of interns placed have been black (including African, Coloured, and Indian), 68% were female, and 2% were persons with disabilities. More than 200 institutions, including science councils, national facilities, museums, private companies, and universities, have hosted interns through this initiative.
Dr Gina praised the programme’s long-term contribution to developing South Africa’s talent pipeline. “These interventions are not only producing a skilled workforce for science, technology and the social sciences, they are nurturing future entrepreneurs who will innovate, commercialise new ideas, and become employers themselves,” she said.
Among the success stories shared at the event was Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo, a Global Health academic and former programme beneficiary who helped establish the first Division of Public Health at the University of Pretoria. “Because of the internship I received through this programme, I stand here today as a top scholar recognised globally,” said Mulondo.
One of the new graduates, Okuhle Ngqoboka—hosted by the Durban University of Technology in 2023—described her internship journey as “exciting and insightful”. She credited her mentor, Dr Bloodless Dzwairo, for supporting her professional growth. “I am now employed on contract as a Grants Assistant. I not only gained valuable work experience but was also motivated to register for my honours degree and continue my studies,” she said.
Dr Gina commended the HSRC for managing the programme “in a professional and structured way,” noting that its impact “will be felt across the National System of Innovation and the broader economy for years to come.”
She urged graduates to remain proactive in their job search and career development. “You are no longer graduates without experience. Use your networks, stay visible, and show initiative. As the African proverb says, the earliest bird catches the fattest worm.”
HSRC Chief Executive Officer, Professor Sarah Mosoetsa, said the two decades of graduate training are a true reflection of transformation at the HSRC and thanked all partners who have contributed to the programme’s success over the years.
The HSRC Graduate Internship Programme continues to stand as one of South Africa’s most impactful initiatives, helping bridge the gap between education and employment for thousands of young professionals across the country.
