Unemployment can be solved in a month: Economist

Economist, Duma Gqubule, says the joblessness crisis in the country can be solved in a month if the government began investing in the country’s infrastructure and people.

This as the latest unemployment statistics show that the youth remain vulnerable in the country’s job market, with the number of unemployed young people having increased to nearly 5 million in the first quarter of the year.

Gqubule says the economy will start growing once government stops cutting its spending.

“Over the last 15 years from 2009-2023, the wheels came off because the government stopped spending on its people and its infrastructure. Infrastructure spending collapsed by about 24% over the past 15 years and it is now lower than it was in 2007 that is why our country; our cities, our towns are collapsing,” the economist told YNews.

‘Stick it out’

The Youth Employment Service (YES) is meanwhile encouraging young people, who have secured jobs, to stick it out in challenging work environments.

The country’s overall unemployment rate increased to 32.9% in the first quarter of this year, with 45.5% of young people without jobs.

Tsholo Mogotsi from YES spoke with YNews and shared a word of advice. He says when building their dream careers, young people must realise that they do not end up where they start.

“You do not start where you want to end up; you always start at a different place. So, if you have a goal for your career, you don’t achieve it with your first job, but you work towards it over the during of your entire career. So, it’s very important that when you find or see an opportunity, that you take it.

The other issue is Also because experience is important it’s important for your attractiveness then it’s also important that when you get an opportunity you stick it out so that you have a significant opportunity to demonstrate what you have done,” adds Mogotsi.  Written by Naomi Kobbie