The South African government will continue implementing the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) to create youth employment. Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli highlighted the importance of innovative funding mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of the initiative.
Speaking at the PYEI Q3 Report media briefing she unveiled several key programme achievements during the final three months of 2024.
The National Pathway Management Network (NPMN) created over 53,000 earning opportunities, bringing the total since its launch to 1.57 million. The SA Youth platform facilitated over 38,000 of these opportunities, while the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) added another 14,500.
The Youth Employment Service (YES) placed over 10,000 young people in workplace experiences, and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) supported over 14,600 young entrepreneurs. The Revitalised National Youth Service (NYS) also saw over 13,500 new recruits in its third phase, contributing to a total of over 82,000 placements.
One of these “innovative funding mechanisms” referred to by the Deputy Minister is the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund. Launched in 2023. The R300 million initiative creates pathways for employment in digital inclusion, enterprise development, and work-integrated learning.
Deputy Minister Mhlauli says the initiative is unique because funds are allocated to organisations that successfully place and employ young people.
Unlike traditional approaches to job creation, which focus on inputs and activities like training and mentorship, the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund ensures that funds are allocated to implementing organisations upon the successful placement and sustained employment of excluded young people in quality jobs.
Mhlauli says 3,347 youth were enrolled in training programmes, 1,603 young people were placed in jobs while 1,247 people have benefited from sustained employment for three months.
These interventions align with our broader goal of transitioning young people from learning to earning in a way that is sustainable and impactful.
Last week when President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address, he called on businesses to use the SAYouth.mobi platform to fill vacant positions. Around 4.5 million young people registered on the platform which connects them to employment opportunities, skills development programmes and entrepreneurship opportunities.
During the past year, young people secured 235,000 work opportunities through the National Pathway Management Network, which is underpinned by the SAYouth.mobi platform. We now need to build on these innovative programmes to create jobs for youth at an even greater scale.
The President emphasised the importance of building on existing programmes to create jobs for young people. This includes those made possible through the implementation of the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES). The PES provides funding for several PYEI components and directly delivers employment opportunities for youth. Since its inception, it has created more than 2.2 million opportunities for young people.
The employment stimulus has created almost 2.2 million work and livelihood opportunities through innovative models that provide high-quality work to participants.
