In a recent address to the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa has passionately called upon businesses across South Africa to eliminate prior work experience requirements for job positions.
This bold move aims to enhance the employability of the nation’s youth, especially considering the outstanding success of the matric class of 2023, which achieved a record pass rate of 82.9%.
President Ramaphosa emphasized that as thousands of fresh matriculants enter various tertiary institutions, a significant number will step into the workforce armed only with their matric qualification.
In light of this, he urged “all of society” to collaborate in creating more job opportunities for these young individuals.
The government, according to the president, has introduced tax incentives for businesses to encourage the hiring of more young people.
He urged companies to utilize these incentives, emphasizing the importance of providing employment opportunities and eliminating prior work experience requirements.
“I encourage companies to use the Employee Tax Incentive to hire more young job-seekers, to make more training and mentorship opportunities available, and to sign up with the Youth Employment Service and other initiatives being rolled out in partnership with government,” President Ramaphosa stated.
South Africa’s matriculants achieved the highest pass rate (82.9%) since the introduction of the National Senior Certificate in 2008.
However, with the challenging employment landscape, especially for those not pursuing further studies, the need for increased job opportunities is critical.
While the national unemployment rate improved to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2023, youth unemployment remains a significant concern.
According to Stats SA, the unemployment rate for youth (aged 15 to 34, not involved in education or training) is at 43.4%.
World Bank data paints an even starker picture, indicating a youth unemployment rate of 51.5%, one of the highest globally.
President Ramaphosa’s call for businesses to rethink hiring criteria is a crucial step towards addressing the pressing issue of youth unemployment and fostering a more inclusive job market for the nation’s matriculants.
