GIDEON POGRUND: The immense suffering behind SA’s youth unemployment statistics
If the country is to deal with a crisis that has profound implications for the strength of our democracy, we need to embrace a greater sense of activism
The statistics on youth unemployment in SA are staggering: young people make up 36% of our population, yet more than 50% of those younger than 24 are unemployed. It means more than 6- million young people are not in education, employment or training. Immense suffering lies behind those statistics. Apart from the grim physical realities of unemployment and poverty, there is a profound psychological dimension. A sense of freedom and independence is basic to someone’s self-respect and dignity. Not having a job is humiliating. Not having a realistic prospect of getting a job is devastating — especially for young people. It destroys hope, the sense that there is something to live for and that there is a possibility of a better future. In the words of the psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, it leaves people with a feeling of "futurelessness". In SA, youth unemployment is a time bomb. Desperate, unemployed and without skills, many young people turn to crime to survive. And unemployment creates fer...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.