1008628772__20260513__0 With youth unemployment remaining stubbornly high, government is urging young South Africans to embrace entrepreneurship, launch small businesses and take advantage of funding, skills development and employment programmes designed to create economic opportunities.
The pressing crisis of high unemployment in South Africa can no longer be addressed by government alone, it requires a collective effort from the public sector, private sector, labour, civil society and communities themselves. The time has come for young people to seize the power of small businesses and create employment opportunities in their own communities.
The latest Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force report revealed that unemployment stood at 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026. These figures should keep us all awake at night. The country’s unemployment rate remains a deeply concerning reality, and sadly, the burden falls most heavily on the youth and women who make up a substantial proportion of our population. This growing crisis demands bold action and entrepreneurship at the local level must be part of the solution.
Most people think that becoming an entrepreneur requires a big idea and substantial capital, yet that is not always the case. Small businesses are proving to be a powerful way to revive township economies and at the same time create much-needed jobs.
