EFF leader Julius Malema has accused the ANC-led government of betraying young South Africans as unemployment, debt and economic hardship continue to affect millions.
Malema made the remarks during the Onkgopotse Tiro Memorial Lecture at the University of Limpopo on Thursday.
He argued that youth unemployment was not simply an economic challenge but a political crisis caused by a system that rewards connections while excluding ordinary people.
Malema targets corruption and political connections
Malema said young people regularly see politically connected individuals receiving jobs, tenders and business opportunities.
At the same time, graduates struggle to find employment and small businesses fight to survive.
He also criticised the loss of public money through corruption while young people are told there is not enough funding for education, student accommodation, employment programmes and youth development.
According to Malema, repeated rejection has caused some young people to stop applying for jobs entirely.
He said many graduates no longer believe their qualifications will improve their lives after watching others remain unemployed for years.
Unemployment is destroying hope
Malema warned that prolonged unemployment could leave young people feeling disconnected from society and the country’s political system.
He said some begin to believe that elections are meaningless and that political participation cannot improve their circumstances.
Malema also linked the loss of hope to substance abuse, crime and depression. He said some young South Africans leave the country because they no longer believe it offers them a future.
Others remain but feel emotionally defeated, he added.
“Every year that passes is another year of unemployment, another year of debt, another year of dependence and another year in which potential is wasted,” Malema said.
Youth urged to organise and vote
Malema called on young people to become more active in challenging what he described as systemic injustice and exclusion.
He said lessons from the 1976 youth uprising and the Fees Must Fall movement showed that young people could create change through organisation and resistance.
Malema also encouraged young South Africans to register for the upcoming local government elections.
He invited supporters to attend the EFF’s 13th anniversary celebrations in Thohoyandou on Saturday.
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