Youth unemployment is a pressing issue in South Africa, with Statistics South Africa reporting that, in the first quarter of 2024, of the 10.3-million young people aged 15 to 24, a staggering 35.5% were not in education, employment, or training. This highlights the urgency for companies to invest in youth development, notes prominent engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) company Erudite electrical engineer Dr Mpho Sam Nkambule. He emphasises that youth unemployment in South Africa is a complex issue with several contributing factors. One significant barrier is the financial cost of job-seeking. Nkambule cites the Siyakha Youth Assets for Employability Study by the Centre for Social Development in Africa at the University of Johannesburg, which reveals that young South Africans spend an average of R938 each month on job search expenses.
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