JOHANNESBURG - Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s Youth Day address may have sounded the alarm on youth unemployment but its not something new
This is according to political analyst Lesiba Teffo who reacted to Mahatile's speech during the Youth Day official commemoration in Potchefstroom, North West.
During the main event, Mashatile honoured the legacy of the 1976 student uprisings but warned that today’s youth face a different kind of battle.
READ | WATCH | Mashatile leads main Youth Day commemoration in Potchefstroom
These battles are characterised by high unemployment, inequality, and a lack of opportunities, especially in the digital world.
Additionally, Mashatile noted with concern that 3.8 million young people are not in education, employment or training.
But Teffo reiterated that unemployment has been a long-standing issue.
He argues that money well spent in academia has not yielded any valuable results, with many youths still sitting at home without any job.
"Graduates that come back are unemployed or unemployable despite their qualifications. There is a mismatch there and I grant [the deputy president] that but for how long have we been talking about this and what are we doing about it."
Teffo is calling for the revival of technical institutions as a solution to South Africa’s deepening youth job crisis.
He says by investing in such the youth can be equipped with industry-relevant skills.