Download PDFIn order to “curb” unemployment the government often brings out short-term employment posts in township through various projects like the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) contracts. These short-term contracts are very infamous in townships and the youth of Wattville, Benoni (east of Johannesburg) have had enough of this.
“We sign these six-month contracts, struggle to even receive our stipends during this time, then it’s back to square one. [We go] back to unemployment once the six months end and we have had enough,” said one youth in Wattville.
Some youth feel these contracts jobs are a way for the government to pretend they are looking after the youth and giving them jobs but it is a waste of their time and their youth. They get no actual working experience in these jobs and they struggle to receive the stipends promised.
“Why can’t our government put the youth in actual permanent jobs within their departments and give others skills through proper skills development programmes that offer proper accreditation that will enable them to go forward with working careers?” asked 25-year-old Tebogo Zwane from Wattville. “The government is playing games with the youth of South Africa and they have even managed to demotivate us.”
Tebogo said he will no longer bother looking for a job as it is useless if you have no connections. Such a young person has already given up on the idea of one day finding employment because of all the games government plays with them. So much potential goes to absolute waste and it seem things will not get better any time soon.
This article was submitted on 9 April 2021. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
