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Youth unemployment as a threat to South Africa’s democracy
20 years into democracy, but still faced with problems that were hoped were going to be eradicated by now. Poverty, crime, drug substance abuse issues that affect our country; these are the issues that we live with 24/7. If education is the key to success, and that success is achieved through being educated, than why is so that there is a high unemployment rate. The South African government and his officials often preach to the youth that their future is in their own hands, and it is entirely up to them to make it shine or make it dark, and that the future of South Africa depends on youth as the youth is the upcoming generation.
The youth of today is seen as a lost generation, like lost goats wondering in the wild. If that is the case than why is this supposedly assumed perception not being dealt with? Instead, of trying so hard to eradicate issues such as poverty, drug substance abuse, and crime we should be placing much emphasis on the causes of these issues. Yes it is no lie, unemployment that results and creates such issues, and it is a given fact that it affects mainly the South African youth, such as substance abuse is highly done by the youngsters whom we call our future generation, crime is mostly committed by yes again our youth. What hope does one have when one is poor and broke, in South Africa that person is just hopeless, you can never keep living by always accepting handouts from people every day, there comes a time where you just have to stand up and do things for yourself. And if you are unemployed what better way does one have than to turn to crime.
This song that is starting to turn into a national anthem is really getting old “go to school so that you can secure your future’’. Oh really now, how many graduates do in one university alone that are unemployed in South Africa, majority of youngsters have got degrees but no job. This person is now no different from a person with no educational background, because they both unemployed so that makes them equal, they may not be equal on paper, but in actual fact and in society they are just on the same level.
Than why should we as the youth be even bothered with furthering our education when reality is, we are in crisis with the job spectrum. The way it is so difficult we end up studying degrees that we do not like just because we hear that there are lot of job opportunities in that particular field. If one pays attention and listens to youngsters talk, trust me you will hear them say this “nowadays no-one studies what they love anymore, now it is all about the job opportunity that field has to offer and about the money”. You find student studying social work, when graduation comes whether the students were sponsored by bursaries or loans after graduation majority of them end up being stuck at home with no employment; and there are told that there are no offices for them to be placed. Because there is now a number of people who are social works and their field are now overcrowded. What is that seriously? Don’t these people “government officials” keep track of everything that happens in this carry, don’t they see the number of students studying social work and why don’t they build offices for them?
Nary of nowadays mostly at university level, we are no longer excited about graduating but we live in fear of not knowing what the future holds. I for one live in fear of not knowing what will happen to me after my graduation I am stressed about how will I find a job, I have applied for numerous bursaries none has ever responded even the bursaries owned by our own president. It is funny because these bursaries say they are looking out for the children’s future but fail to even grant them with bursaries. What goes on in my mind is that, will I end up being like the majority of young South African citizens that are unemployed and are sitting with their degree certificates in their hands.
To an extent some people end up committing suicide because they can no longer take it, the thought of dying a social death is too bearing for them. Take for instance a guy named Musawenkosi Mathabela a former student who has a degree but never got a job, he went back to school to do his honors but still no luck on his side, to a point that he went back to school to do his masters; but still no luck on his side, he is now 36 years old with no form of employment whatsoever and who will hire him at such an age, and even if he was to be hired still he will have to retire and his retiring age is much closer.
Usually the South African government stresses out and cries about skill shortage faced by the youth in this country and when we do acquire such skills we don’t get hired. Instead their solution that they have come up with is introducing and cheering for cheap labour, which is why they have introduced FET colleges. I mean who studies engineering courses for under a year or two. And when university students go looking for a job, they are told they are just overqualified, like what on earth is that.
Seriously we are now living in a world where for one to be ahead in life is by being connected, knowing who’s the who’s who in the business?, if you are a nobody and no know one like me I am sorry but there is no future for you here.
