On Thursday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA) under the theme of “A Nation That Works For All”. With youth unemployment being a major crisis in South Africa, government is said to be working to establish job opportunities for unemployed young people.
Ramaphosa said that the government wants to build a nation where “every person realises their potential”. One way the government has set out to do this is through the Presidential Employment Stimulus.
The success of the Presidential Employment Stimulus shows how public employment programmes can create meaningful work that generates a wider benefit and contributes to sustainable employment.
The PES was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic and it has created 2.2 million jobs. “To create jobs, we must leverage our unique strengths as well as our unrealised potential to build the industries of the future," said the President.
Ramaphosa also said that South Africa will work to develop its data centres, which continues to create jobs for young people in the country. To support the growth, the government will invest in skills development “for the industries of the future”.
The Jobs Boost Fund has pioneered a new model that links funding for skills in demand for the successful placement and particularly employment for young people. We are expanding our support for small and medium enterprises and the informal economy which sustains millions of jobs.
Jobs Boost is a R300 million pay-for-performance initiative currently being tested in South Africa. This outcomes-based fund collaborates with implementing partners to create sustainable, high-quality employment opportunities for unemployed and marginalized youth.
Government Is Creating Job Opportunities Through Presidential Initiatives
Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, has called on the youth to make the most of government initiatives designed to address unemployment and create job opportunities, such as the PES.
These job initiatives have many phases, including recruitment phases where participants are taken into the programme and job readiness workshops where they get ready for job placement. The recruits are then placed in sustainable jobs for a minimum of six months.
When we speak as government about addressing youth unemployment, we are speaking not just about training young people, but also speaking about how we get those young people into sustainable jobs.
Where To Find Youth Job Opportunities
Young people are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities by visiting the SAYouth.mobi website, a zero-rated platform that provides information on the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative and programmes like the YES Programme. This government-supported platform is designed to help youth access job opportunities without requiring data to browse.
How To Create An Account On SAYouth
- Go to the SAYouth website
- You will need your South African ID number, which includes citizens, permanent residents, or refugee numbers.
- Follow the prompts - enter your employment status if asked
You can cancel, continue, or delete your account whenever you feel like. If you change your number, please inform the network. Keep your phone on and be ready to receive notifications from the network. If you need assistance, you can call the toll-free support line at 0800 72 72 72.
