South Africa grapples with high levels of unemployment and poor educational and skills development outcomes – many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. The country’s official unemployment rate was 32.6% in the first quarter of 2021, the highest it has been since Statistics SA started measuring these levels quarterly in 2008.
Most impacted by these rising rates of joblessness are South Africa’s young people: the unemployment rate among youth between 15 and 34 years was 46.3% in the first quarter of 2021 up from 43.2% in the first quarter of 2020. Most vulnerable are youth between 15 and 24, with over 63% unemployment.
With almost one in every two young people in the South African labour force without a job, there can be little doubt that youth unemployment has reached critical levels in the country. “Even though the statistics tell a grim story, there are opportunities to help create a future for our country’s young people,” says Nkosinathi Mahlangu, portfolio head for youth employment at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings (MMH).
To read more on the article titled “How CSI can help tackle youth unemployment in a meaningful way” click here.