Sunday World reports that the government has warned that SA is “sitting on a ticking time bomb” unless the private sector opens its doors wider to graduates through expanded internship opportunities.
Speaking at a gala dinner hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in Joburg on Wednesday, Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) Deputy Minister Dr Nomalungelo Gina said graduate unemployment had become a national emergency threatening social and economic stability. “We need every employer in the private sector, municipalities and state-owned enterprises to double their absorption of young graduates each year. The future of our country depends on it,” Gina said. SA is currently grappling with a 45.5% official youth unemployment rate, rising to 62.1% under the expanded definition.
Since its inception in 2005, the DSTI Graduate Internship Programme, implemented through the HSRC, has placed over 7,600 graduates in research and technical positions across more than 200 institutions, including universities, science councils and private companies. The programme, now marking its 20th year, has a strong transformation record, with 91% of interns black, 68% women, and 2% persons living with disabilities. According to Gina, many have gone on to secure permanent posts or launch start-ups. She said the internship model demonstrated that targeted workplace exposure could convert “idle qualifications into income-generating skills” and urged the business community to view internships as investments, not costs.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane on page 10 of Sunday World of 26 October 2025
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