President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South African businesses to do more to address youth unemployment by creating employment opportunities and giving young job seekers a chance to gain workplace experience.
The President urged employers to look beyond a lack of work experience and recognise the potential, abilities and determination of young people seeking employment.
Speaking at the SA Youth National Leadership Convening at the Galleria Conference Centre in Sandton, Ramaphosa said government, businesses, labour, civil society and educational institutions must work together to tackle youth unemployment.
He encouraged companies to open their workplaces to young people, allowing them to develop practical skills, gain experience and demonstrate their capabilities.
“Let us stop treating a lack of experience as a lack of ability. A young person should not have to spend years searching for an opportunity simply because no employer is prepared to give them a first chance.”
Ramaphosa said youth unemployment is not only an economic problem but also a social and human challenge that has implications for South Africa's future.
He called for a different approach to preparing young people for employment, arguing that the country cannot solve unemployment by simply continuing with existing methods. Instead, there needs to be a rethink of “we prepare young people for the world of work.”
Tackling Youth Unemployment Requires Shared Responsibility
The President emphasised that addressing youth unemployment is a shared national responsibility that cannot be left to government or businesses alone.
Government must create an environment that supports investment, business development and job creation. Businesses, meanwhile, must invest in the economy, expand productive activities and provide opportunities for young people to enter the workplace.
Educational institutions also have an important role to play by ensuring that young people acquire the knowledge and skills needed by employers.
Labour organisations, civil society and communities must help ensure that employment and training opportunities are accessible, fair and inclusive. Young people must also take an active role in shaping their economic futures.
Ramaphosa pointed to the Government-Business Partnership as an example of how cooperation can help address obstacles to economic growth, improve the investment environment and support reforms in important economic sectors.
He called for the same level of cooperation and urgency to be applied to youth employment.
Youth Employment Programmes Must Lead To Lasting Opportunities
The President highlighted several existing initiatives aimed at connecting young people with employment and training opportunities.
These include the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, the SA Youth Pathways Network and the Youth Employment Service (YES).
Public employment programmes have also helped young people gain work experience while contributing to areas such as education, food security, community safety and environmental protection.
However, Ramaphosa stressed that South Africa's youth employment ambitions should extend beyond placing young people in temporary employment programmes.
He said public employment opportunities should provide stepping stones towards further training, entrepreneurship or permanent employment. Workplace placements should also create pathways into longer-term careers.
The President further called for stronger links between education, skills development, workplace experience and employment.
Reforms to the skills development system, including the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, are intended to make training more responsive to the needs of industry.
Businesses should play a bigger role in identifying skills shortages, helping to design training programmes and providing workplace learning opportunities.
At the same time, colleges must ensure that graduates are equipped with relevant skills to participate in the modern economy.
Ramaphosa also called for vocational and technical careers to be recognised as attractive and rewarding employment pathways.
He highlighted the demand for artisans, technicians, builders, electricians, mechanics, agricultural specialists and other workers with practical and technical skills.
Government And Businesses Urged To Support Young Entrepreneurs
Beyond traditional employment, the President said South Africa must create more opportunities for young entrepreneurs to establish businesses, develop products, provide services and create jobs.
Young people are already demonstrating innovation and entrepreneurial ability in townships and rural communities. However, many promising businesses struggle to grow because they lack access to funding, markets, business support and infrastructure.
Ramaphosa called on government and businesses to improve access to start-up and working capital, open procurement opportunities and supply chains to youth-owned businesses, and provide mentoring and business development support.
Established companies were also encouraged to include young entrepreneurs in their supply chains and business networks.
“A young entrepreneur does not always need a grant. Sometimes what that entrepreneur needs most is a customer. A contract. A market. An opportunity to prove that their business can deliver,” he said.
The President identified tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, digital services, the green economy and creative industries as sectors with significant potential to create jobs and develop skills.
He said government, businesses and training institutions must work more closely to identify growing demand for workers and ensure young people are equipped to access these opportunities.
Ramaphosa Calls For Action On Youth Employment Plans
Ramaphosa said the Work SA Youth Implementation Plan provides a framework for coordinating efforts and expanding initiatives that have already demonstrated positive results.
However, he emphasised that implementation must take priority over strategies and announcements.
He called on business leaders to identify practical employment opportunities within their companies and industries. Industry associations should also work with employers, including smaller businesses, to increase workplace learning and entry-level recruitment.
Educational and training institutions must strengthen their relationships with employers, while government departments and agencies should remove obstacles that prevent these partnerships from succeeding.
The President said the partnership must have clear responsibilities, practical commitments and ways to measure progress.
“We need to know what is working, what is not working and what needs to change,” he emphasised.
Successful programmes should be expanded, while initiatives that are not achieving their objectives must be improved.
Ramaphosa concluded by emphasising that young people are not asking for special treatment. They want a fair opportunity to work, gain skills, earn a living and contribute to South Africa's development.
