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[FILE IMAGE]: A sign with unemployment written on it.
As the country marks Youth Month, many young people in the North West province say they continue to grapple with high levels of unemployment.
The province currently has the highest unemployment rate in the country, despite being well known for its strong presence in mining, agriculture, and tourism.
In Promosa, outside Potchefstroom, a group of unemployed youth say they have been without jobs for years, despite their efforts to find work.
North West tops the list in terms of unemployment statistics.
StatsSA’s first quarter Labour Force Survey shows the province was leading the pack with 40,4% in terms official unemployment rate, and 56% in terms of the expanded unemployment rate.
The latter includes people who have given up in looking for jobs. Though the province had a decline of 0,9%, unemployment remains a cause for concern.
Youth in Promosa have taken it upon themselves to patch potholes along the roads, hoping that small donations from passing drivers, will help them put food on the table.
Unemployed Youth, Mojalefa Tshupang and Tumelo Meyer, are part of this group.
Tshupang says, ”My friends and I work together every morning and throughout the day patching potholes. We decided it’s better to do something productive on the roads than to stay at home hungry, which can lead to negative thoughts.”
Meyer says, ”We do this because we come from difficult backgrounds, where poverty is a daily reality. Instead of turning to crime in the community, we choose to fix the Promosa Road. The small contributions we receive from drivers help us have something to eat at home in the evening.”
Students at North West University’s Mahikeng campus say they are increasingly worried about their future, fearing that even with qualifications, they may still remain unemployed.
”The politics are affecting the job opportunities because the parties that we vote for determine how our next generation will come. The parties that we vote for are the ones that can open doors for us and create jobs for us,” says one of the students.
”There is this issue of unemployment, but also the issue of the number of students that are graduating. So, if there’s a skyrocketing number of students that are graduating but the job opportunities that are less, it will lead to unemployment which can definitely lead to the rise of crime,” says another student.
Economist Gisele Mah from North West University says one of the key challenges is the nature of the province’s economy, which is not labour intensive.
“When you look at the North West province, it’s predominantly mining, agriculture then a bit of tourism. So, these companies do not really employ many people. The manpower is not that much. And when you look at also some of the skills related to what is available, the mining and the agriculture, you see that there is mismatch at a certain level. So, to me, this high unemployment is the result of the nature of the province,” says Mah.
Mah says the government should foster an environment that supports entrepreneurship.
“The government should also create conducive environment whereby people can create their own businesses and as well as grow and get themselves employed and employ others.”
As the Youth Month aims to honour the struggles and dreams of young people, the province’s youth are calling for action, urging leaders to deliver more than promises.
