Tackling youth unemployment
During the month of May, international TV channels showed young South Africans participating in xenophobic attacks, Phumlani Mfeka, a born-free youngster, castigated the Indian population and made several allegations against them in a letter (published by the City Press) and a group of young people dumped human (toilet) waste on the steps of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature.
During the course of June, several events will take place to honour past contributions of the youth towards the liberation of SA. Several speeches will be delivered reminding us about the 1976 youth revolution. In the midst of these genuine commemorations, it may also be appropriate for the country to also consider previous months' behavior of youth and reflect on their current socio-economic status.
Youth constitute the largest chunk of South Africa's population. Nineteen years after ushering in a new democratic dispensation, it seems that we haven't yet mastered the art of empowering our youth. It is disturbing to note that about 72% of unemployment in SA is constituted of people who are younger than 34. While I have no doubt that this exorbitant unemployment percentage is partly the consequence of apartheid we cannot blame the legacy of apartheid forever. We should not allow the past to get on the way of the future.
The irony of these unemployment figures is that there are more than million vacant positions both the public and private sectors. Unfortunately, due to the lack of skills, these positions cannot be filled. There is also a tendency by intellectuals and business to solely blame the government for this misnomer. The truth is that all of us bear responsibility for this situation. Youth unemployment can be tackled by implementing some of the following suggestions:
Firstly, we should pay attention to post secondary education and revive technical education in SA. In most countries, the majority of students are in technical colleges. In SA, there are more students in universities. In the absence of artisans, managers, produced by universities, will not have anybody or/and any work to manage. An artisan can produce at least 8 new jobs.
For example, an unskilled labourer will push a wheelbarrow with wood to the artisan; the artisan will assemble wood and other materials to produce furniture; and the university graduate will market the furniture to potential customers.
Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, should be commended for the work he has been doing towards vocational education. Instead of whining within our chattering classes, heads of universities and executives in corporate SA should mandate their academics, engineers, and experienced artisans to teach and train students in technical colleges on a part-time basis.
Secondly, the we need to re-envigorate the manufacturing sector. Government should make it easy for foreign artisans and engineers to get work permits in SA and participate in re-industrialising our manufacturing sector. Skilled human capital will want to handhold and mentor youth in manufacture.
Worldwide, many developed countries are experiencing an aging population phenomenon. The Financial Times recently reported that the USA is also experiencing an aging population. In contrast, Africa and SA are still in a population growth phase and a huge percentage of our population is youth of a working age.
It is therefore important that we rejuvenate our manufacturing sector which has been dwindling for the past 19 years. Unlike the services sector which mainly creates sophisticated jobs for the university graduates, the manufacturing sector will absorb both the skilled and unskilled labour. Instead of increasing the trade deficit by importing car parts overseas, they should be manufactured and assembled on our shores.
Thirdly, we need to look to the land for new opportunities. Africa is the only continent that owns half of the world's arable land. African food production can feed the whole world and the World Bank predicts that Africa's agriculture and agribusiness markets are destined to top US$ one trillion in 2030. SA should take advantage of this situation and get our youth participating in agriculture.
There should be Public Private Partnerships to get youth trained in agriculture professions and farming. Agriculture research funding should be increased and there should be a strong link between agriculture and other sectors, especially manufacturing. In both agriculture and manufacturing, youth should be paid per units of production rather than perpetuating the system of a basic salary. There should be free imports duties and tax breaks in manufacturing and agriculture businesses run by the youth under 35.
If the month of June is indeed going to celebrate youth's contributions to liberation, then as a country, we need to find a way to use this month to actively promote a society that is both educated about the past and prepared to empower youth for the future.
While these intolerant acts alluded to should be condemned, the causes of such behavior should not be ignored. If SA wants to get its youth empowered and employed, then we all need to engage with youth on matters pertaining to training, manufacturing and agriculture. Only then can we build an economically liberated nation.
Matome Modipa is the Founder & CEO of Sebata Group (www.sebatagroup.com)
This article first appeared in the Sowetan.
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