President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives at the June 16 Youth Day commemoration marking the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising. Photo Credit: South African Government.

NNA News – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday called on South African businesses to hire young people without work experience, warning that the country risked “losing a generation” as youth unemployment reached 46%.

Speaking at FNB Stadium during the June 16 Youth Day commemoration, which marks 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising, Ramaphosa announced that unemployment remained the country’s most urgent challenge, despite government job programmes. “Behind every statistic is a young person who wants to work, contribute and build a future,” Ramaphosa told the thousands gathered to mark June 16. “We cannot afford to waste the talent and potential of our youth.”

Official data from South Africa show that 4.7 million young people aged 18 to 35 are out of work. The president, during his address, appealed directly to employers to drop experience requirements for entry-level jobs. “The young person in front of you does not lack ability. They lack only the chance to prove it. Hire for potential, not only for experience,” he stated. Ramaphosa went on to describe a “catch-22” trapping first-time job seekers. He explained that employers require experience for entry-level roles, but graduates cannot acquire that experience without being hired. “We therefore call on employers to hire a young person and waive the experience requirement,” he urged.

Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in South Africa, Ms. Sindisiwe Chikunga, welcomes the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, at the Hector Pieterson Memorial on 16 June 2025. Photo Credit: South African Government.

Drawing a parallel between the past and the present, President Ramaphosa explained that the youth of 1976 fought exclusion, whereas today’s young people must fight unemployment, poverty, and inequality. “Theirs was the struggle to enter the classroom. Ours is to ensure that what begins in the classroom does not end in the unemployment queue,” he said. The Southern African president also acknowledged the frustrations of graduates unable to find work, entrepreneurs struggling to access funding, and artisans without opportunities. “We cannot accept such a situation as normal,” he added.

Ramaphosa said the government was scaling up interventions. More than 5.7 million young people have registered on the http://SAYouth.mobi platform, with over 2 million accessing earning opportunities through it. The Presidential Employment Stimulus has created work for more than 2.5 million South Africans, 82% of them youth, he noted. He also explained that the government plans to invest 1 trillion rand in infrastructure over the next three years, targeting apprenticeships and artisan training in construction, energy and housing. “Our overarching priority is to grow an inclusive economy that creates sustainable jobs at scale,” Ramaphosa emphasised. He added that the government would continue supporting businesses through the Employment Tax Incentive to encourage youth hiring.

President Cyril Ramaphosa receives a ceremonial guard of honour during the June 16 Youth Day commemoration in Soweto. Photo Credit: South African Government.

The president said South Africa would measure its progress based on how effectively young people transition from education to skill development, employment, and entrepreneurship. “This is how we honour the youth of 1976,” he concluded. “By building a South Africa in which every young person has a fair chance to learn, work, serve, build, create, own and live with dignity.”