With young people representing 59% of South Africa’s population, expanding access to decent work remains a national priority, Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli affirmed during parliamentary proceedings this week.
Addressing the National Assembly in support of the Presidency’s Budget Vote—tabled by President Cyril Ramaphosa—Mhlauli underscored that the barrier facing youth is not a deficit of talent or ambition, but of opportunity.
“The youth of this country have for the past 50 years since June 16 1976, and beyond; demonstrated that they do not lack ideas, talent, and courage to stand up for their future. What they lack is access,” she said.
Data-Driven Progress Across Key Programmes
Government-coordinated employment interventions are generating measurable outcomes, according to the latest quarterly reporting:
Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI)
- Launched in 2020, the programme has facilitated access to more than 2.36 million earning opportunities since inception.
- In Quarter 3 of the 2025/26 financial year alone, PYEI enabled 294,530 new earning opportunities.
- The SA Youth digital platform now hosts registrations from over 5.77 million young people.
- More than 70% of placements through the platform have benefited young women, advancing gender equity in labour market access.
Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund
- Surpassed quarterly targets by enrolling 9,170 young people and successfully placing more than 7,200 into employment.
- Mhlauli described the model as “funding real outcomes,” emphasizing performance-based resource allocation.
**Revitalised National Youth Service**
- To date, 132,784 young people have been placed in paid service opportunities focused on community development.
- An additional 100,000 opportunities are currently listed and accessible via SA Youth.Mobi.
- The Deputy Minister encouraged youth aged 18–35 to register, highlighting the programme’s dual focus on skills development and meaningful work experience.
Youth Employment Service (YES)
- A private-sector-led initiative partnered with the Presidency, YES has created over 228,000 youth jobs.
- Post-programme, 60% of participants were absorbed into full-time employment.
- 17% of YES alumni have launched their own businesses across multiple sectors, supported by programme resources and mentorship.
Socio-Economic Indicators Reflect Broader Gains
Mhlauli anchored employment progress within wider developmental trends drawn from Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey:
- Life expectancy at birth has improved from 55.2 years in 2002 to nearly 67 years in 2025.
- Housing: 84% of households now live in formal dwellings, with more than half owning their homes.
- Basic services:
- 94.9% of households have access to electricity.
- 87.4% have access to piped water—representing 8.1 million additional households since 2002.
- Education:
- 96.6% of children participate in schooling by age 15.
- 52.9% of South African adults now hold at least a Grade 12 qualification.
- As of 2024, 1.9 million students were enrolled in public higher education institutions.
A Call for Active Youth Engagement
“South Africans are asking for work that can be seen, felt and trusted. Essentially, South Africans want a government that works for all, especially its young people,” Mhlauli stated, reiterating the administration’s commitment to inclusive economic growth.
She urged eligible youth to proactively engage with available platforms: registering on SA Youth, applying for National Youth Service placements, and exploring partnerships like YES to build skills and launch careers.
As the nation commemorates Youth Month—honouring the legacy of the 1976 Soweto Uprising—the government reaffirmed that sustainable change requires both remembrance and action. Through coordinated public investment, private-sector collaboration, and youth-centred innovation, South Africa continues to expand pathways for its largest demographic to participate meaningfully in the economy.
