Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul, in partnership with the South African Council for Graduates, recently launched an R8.5 million youth employment project to upskill 150 students and graduates in the Province.
NORTHERN Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul, in partnership with the South African Council for Graduates (SACGRA), recently launched an R8.5 million youth employment project to upskill 150 students and graduates in the Province.
The programme is funded by the Financial and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority and the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority to fast-track job creation in finance, accounting, marketing, information technology and engineering.
Saul believes the project will help reduce the high unemployment rate among the youth in the Province.
“According to the quarterly labour force survey, the Northern Cape has a 30 percent official unemployment rate. While much has been done to ensure that the Province creates an enabling environment for economic growth in the Northern Cape, the unemployment rate increased by 3.7 percent, from 28.3 percent in the first quarter to 32 percent in the second quarter of 2024,” said Saul.
He added that the project would entail learnerships, internships and apprenticeship programmes.
Meanwhile, Cope acting national chairperson Pakes Dikgetsi said that the high unemployment rates represented a “national crisis”.
“Rural African women bear the brunt of unemployment at 50.4 percent, while the youth, who are our future leaders, are also severely affected. This situation is a shameful and unacceptable outcome of years of governmental neglect,” said Dikgetsi.
He called for an urgent jobs summit to be convened, involving all political parties, the business sector, religious organisations and civic groups, to search for sustainable solutions.
“No one should be left behind. We are facing a ticking time bomb,” he warned.
The DA spokesperson for finance, Fawzia Rhoda, pointed out that pre-election “stunts” had failed to realise meaningful opportunities for communities.
“The year-on-year increase of 5.1 percent results in an official unemployment rate of 32 percent and the quarter-on-quarter increase of 3.2 percent results in an expanded unemployment rate of 44.9 percent. We hear about special economic zones and industrial parks, but it is clear that the Northern Cape’s economic climate is still not conducive for sustained investment or development,” said Rhoda.
She pointed out that the recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey revealed that the Northern Cape had the highest increases in both official and expanded unemployment rates.
“In order to drive meaningful economic change, the 7th administration must desist from cheap stunts and invest in real economic prosperity rather than patronage. At a time when two out of every five people struggle to find a future in the Northern Cape, we cannot afford to let a single cent of public funds go to waste,” Rhoda added.
