PRETORIA: President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa says the government is stepping up efforts to combat unemployment, particularly among the youth. Through his weekly newsletter, he was addressing the entire country.
Statistics South Africa announced last week that at least 66.5 percent of young people are unemployed, despite the creation of 370 000 new jobs in the previous quarter.
As the country prepares to observe Youth Day, which honours the young schoolchildren who rose up against the apartheid state in 1976, the President noted that the present generation faces its own challenges. "Today, the youth of South Africa face new challenges in their search for a more dignified existence and a better life. Despite significant progress in expanding options for young people in basic and higher education, millions of young people remain jobless," he remarked.
The President stated that the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which includes the revitalised National Youth Service (NYS) and the Social Employment Fund (SEF), is aimed at supporting these young people in overcoming some of these obstacles.
"In the first phase, the SEF will produce 50 000 new job possibilities before ramping up in later phases." Community safety, food kitchens, urban agriculture, early childhood development, and the fight against gender-based violence are all areas where this work is being done.
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