Eastern Cape youth unemployment a growing threat, warns COSATU

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Eastern Cape has warned that the province’s high unemployment rate, particularly among young people, is a “ticking time bomb.”

Speaking at the Provincial Workers’ Day rally at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London, COSATU Provincial Secretary Mkhawuleli Maleki said urgent action is needed to tackle the crisis and to protect workers’ rights, which he claims are being violated, even by government institutions. 

“The high rate of youth unemployment can explode at any moment. Employers, including the state, are trampling on workers’ rights, and that’s straining relations within the alliance,” says Maleki. 

Eastern Cape Premier and African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson Oscar Mabuyane responded, saying government efforts are ongoing to transform workplaces and improve worker conditions.

“Not everything is perfect, but over the past 30 years, we’ve passed laws to reverse past injustices and promote equality in the workplace, including gender equity,” Mabuyane adds.