The Gauteng Provincial Government has collaborated with the Nasi iSpani mass employment program to extend the employment contracts of 32,000 young people as teaching assistants in the province. This initiative is crucial, given the staggering 4.6 million unemployed youth and a youth unemployment rate of 43.4%.
These youth were previously part of the government's Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), which generated over 1 million opportunities for the country's youth across four phases of implementation. However, those who benefited from the initiative were excluded from participating in subsequent phases of the youth employment programme.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi emphasised that the primary goal of the program is to reduce unemployment in Gauteng. Despite criticism from some opposition parties, who view the re-hiring of these youth as part of the governing party's electioneering campaign, Premier Lesufi defended the decision.
These are young people whose contracts came to an end. We felt that we can't have 32,000 people unemployed when they've done so well.
In combating youth unemployment, President Cyril Ramaphosa commended the government's efforts through the Presidential Employment Stimulus during the recent State of the Nation Address. The BEEI was a component of this initiative under the President's Youth Employment Initiative.
President Ramaphosa highlighted the SAYouth.mobi service, a free online portal connecting young people to various opportunities, along with the YES program and collaborations with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).
Despite government strategies aimed at reducing youth unemployment, Lizelle Strydom from Careerbox Africa believes that more needs to be done, especially considering the millions of unemployed young people in the country.
Speed is crucial in creating opportunities for young people, according to Strydom. This entails reducing bureaucratic hurdles, expediting hiring processes, and encouraging businesses to support government efforts through practices like impact sourcing.
Impact sourcing involves companies hiring individuals from marginalised communities and providing them with career development opportunities. The urgency for speed is paramount, given the annual influx of job seekers into the labour market.
