“Job creation a hoax or a promise?”

catoon: Mzansi memes

Accra Maweya          ntlhari.accra@gmail.com                      @ntlhari_accra

The issue of unemployment is not something new in South Africa, it has been a major challenge that government has been fighting to reduce for many years. In the past our fathers would have to leave their homes to Gauteng all in search for a better source of income to provide for their families at home. Back then employment wasn’t determined by your level of education but by the skills life has forced you to learn like hard labour.

South African president by SA people news

Since 1994 we have been raised to believe that education holds the key to success. In order to get a good job one needs to have gone to school or some form of qualification but the number of unemployed college and university graduates is hard to comprehend.

On the 19^th of February 2018, the newly elected president of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa gave his speech at the state of the nation address. He states that young people are already forming a greater proportion of the labour force on the infrastructure projects and are the primary beneficiaries of programmes such as the installation of solar water heaters and the war on leaks.

He said the government will be working in partnership with business, organised labour and community representatives to creating opportunities for young people to be exposed to the world of work through internships, apprenticeships, mentorship and entrepreneurship to draw young people in far greater numbers into productive economic activity through programmes such as the Employment Tax Incentive.

photo: SA people news

In March the government will launch the” Youth Employment Service initiative which will place unemployed youth in paid internships in companies across the economy. The government aims to create a million such internships in the next three years.

The news of a more sustainable plan to create jobs for the youth and other empowerment programs aimed at the youth were received positively by majority of the youth in South Africa. People expressed their joy all over social media from the time Cyril Ramaphosa won the ANC presidency elections in December last year to when the former South African president Jacob Zuma announced his resignation on valentines day.

Oratile mhlongo says “he thinks Cyril Ramaphosa will bring change to the economy, he will be able to create and govern better because he is already a good business man.”

Although the news brought joy to some, there are still a few people who are not anti- Cyril but they simply don’t think much will change about government.

“Many presidents have been preaching of job creation yet there are still not enough jobs in South Africa but we hope for the best” says kagiso Mashilo.

photo: SA people news