OPINION PIECE: Unemployment strips youth off self-esteem- government and private sector need to do better

In just a few days, South Africans will commemorate the 45th anniversary of the June 16 student uprising in Soweto. Commemorating in this case means narrating stories of what took place on the day and calling on the current youth to become agents of change, similar to the 1976 youth.

Virtual addresses by interested people from different formations may be on the cards, to recite the significant role played by Charlotte Maxeke during the dark days of this country. Since this year’s Youth Month is themed “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Growing youth employment for an inclusive and transformed society”.

Young people fortunate enough to have data may take to Twitter to share their day-to-day lived experiences as the youth of 2021. I can almost foretell how some of the tweets will read: “Sizwile! (We have heard it). Enough about the struggle of 1976. Create employment opportunities for us. Make higher education free for all. Stop looting.” The list is endless.

I am a young person and I work for government. I hope my employer will not deem my views as disrespectful, rather that this will spark an honest conversation which will see fundamental change happen and be experienced by the youth. I know what it’s like to have a university qualification which may seem useless, after spending years grappling to finance for it.

“Education is the key to a brighter future”, we have been told. But for most graduates, education is an expensive exercise which could strip off your self-esteem. Mine, is not a unique story. I work for the Department of Water and Sanitation, prior to this, I worked as a volunteer, served internships, filled out so many Z83 forms, made copies of my qualifications and stood in long queues to have them certified.

At some point, I went from applying for jobs related to my qualification to applying for anything that would help put food on the table. Cleaning, cashier, domestic work. Anything. With posts not requiring my qualification, I had an added advantage. I had previously worked as a part-time cashier and waitress while I was studying.

This was to supplement the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) loan I had taken out. Luckily for me, common sense prevailed. I did not quit my cashier job after graduating. After I obtained my qualification, I was made permanent at a clothing shop where I worked as a cashier and clothing merchandiser. The last day of the month was the only day I looked forward to waking up for work.

I hated the long hours, the festive season was the worst. I would service former classmates who would ask, with disbelief on their faces: “Lebogang what happened? You work here?” There was a point where I was mopping the floor and a former classmate witnessed this. I wished for the wet floor to open up and swallow me so that I would disappear from the face of the earth. I do not know why I felt so embarrassed.

I didn’t have to be as I was making an honest living. That day haunted me for days on end. The poor guy was so polite, possibly because he saw the embarrassment written all over my face. Another instance where unemployment left its tragic mark on my heart was through a former colleague, who after our 12-month internship came to an end, decided to go beg for a job by standing at a traffic light in the Johannesburg CBD.

The same company he completed his internship with saw his picture after it went abuzz on social media and offered him a contract-based post. I know for a fact, there are many students and graduates out there, presently going through the same thing.

Unemployment has its claws deep in their skin, piece by piece, ripping off any shred of self-esteem they may have left. Not many are fortunate to have sympathetic families who understand that a tertiary qualification does not equal to securing a job opportunity immediately after graduating. For many, parents often feel they are wasting their money taking them to study further only to return home after three years of study, to continue depending on them financially. Distressing, on both ends.

As I write this, I am appealing to the public and private sectors to give young minds a chance. It is time both sectors work together to create employment opportunities, bursaries, internships. Please do away with good paper projects. It’s time for implementation. All the youth is asking for is to be given an opportunity to help grow the economy of this country.

On opportunities, the Department of Water and Sanitation has opened its doors to young minds that plan to pursue water and sanitation related qualifications in 2022. In a statement issued recently, the department said their bursaries are comprehensive.

They cover full tuition fees, accommodation and food as per university guidance, books and stationery allowance and a monthly stipend. A cherry on top is that through the bursaries offered to students, it also provides employment contracts during which the bursars get relevant workplace exposure and additional training until they are ready to register as professionals with their relevant professional bodies.

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As the youth of 2021, ours is a different fight- unemployment. I remain forever grateful to all opportunities I have received throughout my career. I pen this to bring hope to an unemployed graduate or student hoping for a good response on a bursary application. Above all, I hope you are able to keep your head up and remain hopeful for a better tomorrow.

To the government and private sector, please do better! Help restore the dignity of the youth.