Mangweni youth plead for jobs from provincial government

Youth Day celebrations at Mangweni Stadium became a platform for young people to voice their frustration over the ongoing lack of work opportunities in the province. During the event on Monday, June 16, the acting premier of Mpumalanga, Speed Mashilo, was urged to prioritise youth employment, crime prevention, and poverty alleviation in the Nkomazi region.

Speakers highlighted a disconnect between government initiatives and the realities of young people in the area. Thandeka Ndlovu, a young woman who attended the event, expressed the desperation many feel.

“The government must create jobs for us. We have graduated, but most of us are being rejected for jobs because we lack experience. The government and private companies want experience, but they don’t hire us so we can gain it,” she said.

Ndlovu said many young people were turning to crime in order to survive. Her concerns were echoed by Goodness Mashaba, who spoke about the fear that crime has been instilled in the community.

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“It is very sad to wake up and hear someone has been killed or that a loved one was robbed at home or while catching a morning bus. All these issues need government intervention. They must create jobs so people can provide for their families,” she said.

Mashilo acknowledged the importance of involving young people as partners in development. “It is impossible to get the province working at its full potential if the youth are excluded,” he said.

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He appealed to the province’s youth to work with government in tackling the challenges their communities face. “Let us fight the societal decay marked by horrifying crime, rapes, femicide, robberies, drug abuse and violent deaths,” he said.