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More than 1 million applications for 44 000 jobs shows SA’s unemployment crisis still deep

More than 1 million applications for 44 000 jobs shows SA’s unemployment crisis still deep

Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes with concern the overwhelming response to the fifth phase of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), where over 1.1 million applications were received for 44 000 school assistant positions, for now. This is a clear sign that South Africa’s youth unemployment rate remains unacceptably high.

The latest round of the BEEI, which is part of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, received over a million applications within 24 hours of opening. W understand that by Tuesday evening, more than 223 000 individual young people had applied, with each position attracting an average of 25 applications.

This is not just a number, it is a loud cry from our youth who are desperate for jobs and opportunities. The UDM believes that this overwhelming response reflects a deeper crisis where millions of young people are without work, and the economy is not creating nearly enough jobs to meet the demand.

While we welcome the efforts of the Department of Basic Education to provide short-term employment, this programme alone is not enough. The fact that so many young people are scrambling for limited opportunities shows how critical it is for government to urgently prioritise large-scale job creation across all sectors, not just in education.

We must grow the economy in a way that includes and uplifts the youth. More must be done to boost employment in sectors like manufacturing, renewable energy, construction, agriculture, ICT and tourism sectors that have the potential to absorb large numbers of job seekers.

The UDM calls on government to speed up the implementation of long-term youth employment strategies, reduce red tape for small businesses, invest in skills development and make sure job creation efforts are inclusive, sustainable and decentralised.

We also call for better coordination between national and provincial departments so that barriers like delayed training plans do not hinder implementation. It is unacceptable that only the Western Cape is ready with training while other provinces are still behind.

This programme must be more than just a temporary fix; it must be a stepping stone to long-term employment and self-sufficiency for our youth.