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The IFP would like to congratulate all the 2019 graduates across the country and wish them much success in their future endeavours. Statistics South Africa shows that university graduation numbers are on the rise especially among blacks. We commend the government on prioritising funding for previously disadvantaged students as evidence shows that the number of students from poor backgrounds enrolling and graduating at the country’s higher education institutions is on the rise. However, having cleared this education hurdle, the question for each of them is surely, “What now?”

The IFP believes that it is time that youth of this country realise that the government of the day has no plans to create employment opportunities. It has run out of ideas to make our economy great but rather continues to cause more damage to the economy through disastrous economic maladministration and corruption. The evidence is this very notable stubborn unemployment and the ailing economy. Because while a university degree is often seen as a means of lifting the poor out of poverty, unemployment is a ticking bomb among youth, irrespective of their education level.

Graduate unemployment rate alone has increased to almost 10% while average youth unemployment increased to 54.70% in 2018 implying that more than one in every three young people in the labour force does not have a job. These statistics makes our country one of the countries with the highest unemployment rates in the world.

Youth must realise that the ANC’s promise of creating millions of jobs has been nothing but a vote-catching slogan without substance. Their policies for job creation have gone from failure to failure. What is needed is a government that will foster an environment that is conducive to reducing unemployment. Within the last decade, it seems that the best jobs and business opportunities has been given to people related and politically connected to the ANC leadership.

As things stand, we desperately need much faster economic growth and development and the IFP is the only party that is committed in changing this situation through implementation of investment friendly policies and better economic growth strategies. Young people should vote for a party that will prioritise their needs, a party that will ensure that young people get internships, job opportunities funding for starting-up businesses, and social assistance to assist during job search. IFP is committed in developing youth coordinated programmes of action, in support of investment-led growth strategies that will in turn increase job opportunities. The programmes will aim, among other things, to build capacity at local level to design and implement policies for reducing poverty and creating jobs.

Issued by The IFP