The unemployment figures released yesterday by StatsSA are cause for great
concern given that joblessness has now increased to 25.5% making this the
highest unemployment rate since 2008.

This concern is further compounded by the finding that the expanded
unemployment figure, which includes persons who have stopped actively
seeking employment stands at 35.6%

Unemployment must be thoroughly addressed and investor confidence must be
restored. President Zuma has failed outright to give hope and direction and
does not seem to have a vision.

At the heart of this crisis is government's failure to create a conducive
and enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs.
South Africa needs to focus and shift speedily to economic stability. There
can be no growth in the presence of chaos and instability. Small businesses
and co-operatives need to take centre stage.

The IFPYB is also concerned that the spending pattern of the National
Treasury has taken a nose dive from 2008/09 when it stood at 99.6% to 89.6%
in 2011/12.

The fact that unemployment stands at a staggering 25.5% speaks to a failing
system and failing government. The lack of speed and urgency in dealing with
unemployment is no different from the dark days of HIV/Aids denialism.
The IFP has clear action steps which must be prioritised as a matter of
urgency; we must seize the opportunity and offer young people vision, hope
and direction. It is high time that we take the bull by the horns and deal
decisively with the challenge of youth unemployment.

To grow our country's economy and create jobs, the IFP proposes that:

• Balance job creation and job protection by revising labour

laws to allow more flexibility. This will generate investment, new jobs and
growth.

• Take politics out of the economy - union politics should not

hold our economic future ransom.

• Focus on developing skills suitable for today's job market by

funding training programmes, apprenticeships and learnerships.

• Support sustainable small and medium sized businesses(SMMEs)

and reward them for employing and training women, youth and those who are
differently abled.

• Create a mentorship programme through which local and

international business people can help young business owners learn to manage
and grow sustainable ventures.

• Establish Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in rural

areas, to help communities become self-sustainable and create tax incentives
and low tax investment zones in these areas to stimulate growth, jobs and
development.

• Partner with the mining and related sectors to refine raw

materials in South Africa and build our processing and manufacturing
industries.

• Encourage new and current farmers to grow cash crops for export.

 

• Fund an experience-embracing FET learning programme with the

public, private and third party sectors.

•  Invest in the future of our children by ensuring that within

the next ten years every school has one counsellor, librarian, nurse, sports
teacher, cleaner, library, laboratory and internet connection.

The patience of young people is fast dwindling and their frustration fast
rising. The 1994 dream of prosperity and a "better life for all" is dead.
South Africans are struggling daily to make ends meet.

The struggle for freedom and democracy against apartheid is rendered in vain
as even 20 years post-apartheid life remains a struggle for the majority of
our people. South Africans did not struggle against apartheid only to now
live in a perpetual struggle in a free and democratic dispensation.