With joblessness among young people in the country standing at 46 percent, President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the private sector to help curb scourge of youth unemployment. He was speaking at the 50th commemoration of the June 16 Soweto uprising now National Youth Day. Despite gains made by the democratic government to change their lives, five decades later young people face another struggle of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities. But President Ramaphosa says business can help absorb young people to help them realise their
dreams and potential. Ramaphosa says, “Unemployment must be seen as a societal problem. Government has a responsibility to continuously take action to address this problem. However, the private sector has a responsibility to also address the challenge of unemployment, and we say to the private sector who is the biggest employer in any economy we say, open your doors to the employment of young people. Government will not ask you to carry that risk alone, through the Employment Tax Incentive, we already share the cost
of bringing young people into their first job.”
Cyril Ramaphosa, youth unemployment, private sector, Employment Tax Incentive, National Youth Day, June 16 Soweto uprising