Alexandra youth target retail sector to tackle unemployment
With unemployment climbing nationally, Alexandra’s youth are taking matters into their own hands—delivering CVs door-to-door in Sandton’s retail sector.
In the face of rising national unemployment, young people in Alexandra are taking direct action to improve their prospects.
Through the SA Job Seekers Movement, over 16 individuals have already secured jobs this year, with many more gaining exposure to employment opportunities in the retail sector.
The movement, led by spokesperson Mthokozisi Khambule, recently launched its third door-to-door campaign for 2025. The group visited retail companies in Sandton’s Barlow Park, delivering CVs and engaging employers. Their focus on retail was deliberate, as it was intended to tackle unemployment among the most vulnerable people in the labour market – those with only a matric qualification or less.
Read more: Watch: Jobs Seekers’ Movement campaigns to tackle rising unemployment in Alexandra and surrounds
This is corroborated by the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics South Africa for the second quarter. It indicated that the unemployment rate for those without matric remains staggeringly high at 39.4%, followed by those with only matric at 35.2%. This paints a grim about the future of those with only matric or less compared to graduates and those with other tertiary qualifications, with unemployment rates of 12.2% and 21.7%, respectively.
“We believe that in retail, they only need matric, and our job seekers do have matric,” said Khambule. “We are also going to be visiting the neighbouring companies around Sandton.”
The campaign builds on earlier efforts that have already yielded results. In a previous drive, Khambule said the group submitted CVs for 60 candidates, leading to 20 interview invitations. One company, Aluminium and Glass, hired four drivers after testing 10 applicants and indicated they still needed six more. Khambule added that in another campaign, 16 people were hired into roles such as drivers, boilermakers, and upholsterers.
Their efforts stand in contrast to national statistics. South Africa’s overall unemployment rate rose to 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025, up from 32.9% in the first quarter. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes discouraged work-seekers, sits at 42.9%. As unemployment surges, SA Job Seekers Movement continues to push forward, using a hands-on approach to connect job seekers with employers.
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