Unemployed youth challenge Govan Mbeki Municipality at Speaker’s engagement
Fikile Magagamela said the primary objectives of the engagements include providing a platform for young residents to voice frustrations, particularly regarding job experience requirements and other barriers to entering the labour market.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality speaker, Fikile Magagamela, convened the second Unemployment Engagement Session at the eMbalenhle South Community hall on January 29, where the meeting was met with tough questions from unemployed residents, particularly young people.
Some community members accused the Office of the Speaker of hosting a “talk show” that would not yield tangible results.
Speaking to Ridge Times, residents said Magagamela should have first clarified the criteria the municipality uses when hiring people.
Sipho Sikhosa, one of the attendees, described the engagement as a fruitless exercise allegedly used by politicians to prepare for upcoming local government elections.
“We are used to these kinds of strategies. What is most concerning is that the same Speaker represents the same municipality that uses corruption when employing people,” said Sikhosa.
He alleged that last year the municipality advertised general worker positions, for which many residents applied, but were neither shortlisted nor called for interviews.
“Surprisingly, all those who were employed were comrades from a certain political party. When we asked them how they got employed, they told us we must participate in politics at the branch level,” Sikhosa claimed.
He added that, as a non-partisan, he believes his chances of being employed by the municipality are minimal unless he seeks work in the private sector.
Sikhosa further criticised the session, saying Magagamela should have brought corporate leaders operating within the municipality to engage directly with the community on unemployment issues.
“Instead, she came with another councillor, and both of them had solutions. After the engagement, then what? There will be nothing – just promises and lies as usual.
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“These politicians think we are like our elders, who accept every lie they tell us. No, we are a new generation that can differentiate between truth and lies,” he said.
According to the municipality, the session formed part of a series of strategic dialogues aimed at connecting unemployed youth with municipal leadership to discuss economic opportunities and ongoing challenges within the local labour market.
The first session was held on January 22 at Khotso Community Hall.
Magagamela said the primary objectives of the engagements include providing a platform for young residents to voice frustrations, particularly regarding job experience requirements and other barriers to entering the labour market.
She emphasised the need for companies operating within the municipality to prioritise the employment of youth within the municipality’s jurisdiction.
