Social unrest warning for South Africa
Although South Africa’s unemployment rate is high, the expanded rate and the number of youth without a job in the country are even more alarming, and experts warn that failure to address this will lead to social unrest.
According to Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the official unemployment rate increased by 0.6 percentage points from 32.9% in Q1 2024 to 33.5% in Q2 2024.
This gives South Africa the title of the country with the highest unemployment rate in the world.
The situation is much worse when considering the expanded definition of unemployment, including discouraged work seekers.
The expanded unemployment rate in Q2 of 2024 increased by 0.7 percentage points to 42.6%.
The number of unemployed people increased by 158,000 to 8.4 million in Q2 2024 compared to Q1 2024.
Discouraged work seekers also increased by 147,000 (up by 4.8%).
Looking at 2024, the state body shows that the number of unemployed people increased by roughly 500,000 from 7.9 million at the end of 2023 to 8.4 million people as of Q2 2024.
However, the situation is far more dire for the country’s youth, who are disproportionately affected.
According to the second-quarter data for 2024, the youth unemployment rate remains critically high, with individuals aged 15-24 facing an unemployment rate of 60.8%, while those aged 25-34 grapple with a rate of 41.7%.
These figures underscore the severe challenges facing young people in their quest for employment, further entrenching South Africa’s socioeconomic problems.
Speaking to Newsroom Afrika, the managing director at Rosebank College, Dr Linda Meyer, noted that while the national unemployment rates are alarming, the real concern is that act that over half of the youth is unemployed, which is a major problem.
The data from Stats SA confirms that young people are bearing the brunt of the unemployment crisis, struggling to break into the job market.
As the unemployment rate among young South Africans continues to rise, the social consequences become harder to ignore.
Experts warn that if no action is taken to address these issues, the country could face widespread social unrest.
With over half of the youth population unable to find jobs, the sense of hopelessness is deepening.
If these trends persist, South Africa may face an increasingly volatile situation where the frustrations of the unemployed boil over into societal disruption.
Meyer warned that failure to find and create jobs could lead to social unrest nationwide.
She added that the first step in addressing this issue is to invest in their education.
Statistics show that graduates are more likely to get a job, and the country is in dire need of certain jobs, especially critical skills like nurses, doctors, and teachers.
“The government needs to invest in educating and training these unemployed youths to fill these positions,” she said.
However, due to budget constraints and poor management, this is not a priority.
“The failure to find jobs leads to the youth losing hope if they don’t see a future for themselves, which could lead to an uprising,” said Meyer.
This potential for social unrest is not an unfounded fear.
Historically, countries with persistently high youth unemployment have seen increases in social tension, protests, and even violence.
The 2005 riots in France were a significant example of how youth unemployment, particularly among marginalized communities, can lead to violent unrest.
In the suburbs of Paris and other major cities, many young people—especially those of immigrant descent—faced unemployment rates far higher than the national average.
Greece experienced significant social unrest following the financial crisis of 2008, with youth unemployment reaching over 50% during the height of the crisis.
Frustrated by the lack of job opportunities, austerity measures, and political corruption, young people took to the streets in a series of protests.
In Spain, high youth unemployment, which peaked at over 50%, gave rise to the Indignados Movement (also known as the 15-M Movement) in 2011.
Young people, frustrated by a lack of jobs, austerity measures, and a political system they viewed as corrupt, occupied public spaces and held large protests across the country.
This is very concerning for South Africa, considering we sit at a youth unemployment rate of 60.8%.
At the end of August 2024, unemployed youth from Soweto marched to the mayor of Johannesburg, Dada Morero officers, to hand over their curriculum vitae (CV) in Braamfontein.
With high rates like these, young people feel excluded from economic participation and opportunities, and there is a growing sense of disenfranchisement.
As they lose faith in a better future, the risk of frustration spilling over into mass unrest becomes a real threat.
Without urgent and focused intervention, the unemployment crisis in South Africa could escalate further, with devastating social and economic consequences.
Loading ...
