Engineering News reports that with SA’s unemployment level at nearly 30% – and youth employment at nearly 50% – Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi has encouraged the country to “not give up hope”.  

Speaking this week, the Minister said that, while SA might see itself as being “in crisis”, there was hope that conditions could improve.  He referred to engagements between President Cyril Ramaphosa and members of government on a number of initiatives, which Nxesi said were directed at increasing investment into the country, and growing employment opportunities.  Nxesi also mentioned that the DEL was actively working to support the Presidential youth employment interventions, which had prioritised a comprehensive set of interventions to create at least two-million new jobs for young people within the next decade.  The DEL has adopted measures to address barriers preventing the youth from being employed.  These barriers include a lack of work experience and the DEL wants to abolish work experience as a requirement for entry-level posts in the public service sector.  It will also adopt the Youth Employment Services initiative.  The DEL is set to announce measures to scale up these interventions shortly.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News

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