Stats SA’s Q1 2026 data is sobering. National unemployment rose to 32.7%. Among young people aged 15 to 24, unemployment reached 60.9%. Using the broader youth measure of 15 to 34, more than four in 10 young people were not in employment, education or training, argues the writer.
Thembi Chagonda
South Africa cannot discuss illegal employment, economic reform and social stability without confronting the uncomfortable truth at the centre of it all: millions of young South Africans still have no credible pathway into work.
This is the real test of Youth Month.
Every June, South Africa honours the courage and contribution of young people. But for a young person sitting at home without work, training, income or a realistic next step, commemoration is not enough. The question is much more practical: where do I go next, and who is prepared to open the first door?
