By: More Matshediso
XXX CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADERS
‘We must tackle
youth unemployment, GBVF and mental health’
T
he Minister in the Presidency
According to the survey,
responsible for
the unemployment rate for
labour market,” says the
based economy and the
Minister.
impact of automation
She attributes the
as well as the COVID-19
Women, Youth and Persons
the first quarter was 63.9%
unacceptably high youth
pandemic on jobs also
with Disabilities, Maite
for those aged 15 to 24, and
unemployment in South
contributed to youth
Nkoana-Mashabane says
42.1% for those aged 25 to
Africa to an economy that
unemployment.
the high rates of youth
34 years, while the current
has not been growing,
unemployment in the
official national rate stands
structural challenges to
the harnessing of youth’s
country can no longer be
at 34.5%.
growth, and the high rate of
potential to grow the
dropout at basic education
country. “This includes the
and higher education.
political will by government
ignored. She was responding to
8
the first quarter of 2022.
“Despite the slight decline in unemployed youth
The Minister also calls for
the Quarterly Labour Force
demonstrated by Stats SA,
Survey (QLFS) released by
young people still remain
from a labour-intensive
to ensure an integration of
Statistics South Africa for
on the margins of the
economy to a service-
youth across all strategic
She adds that the shift
and captains of industry
Public Sector Manager • July 2022
