Urgent need to combat youth unemployment crisis: Afrika Tikkun

The latest employment statistics underscore the urgency and critical need for coordinated efforts in South Africa. That’s according to Dr Onyi Nwaneri, Chief Executive Officer of Afrika Tikkun – a youth development organisation.

Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q2 shows that the unemployment rate for women rose from 35.2% in the first quarter to 35.8% in the second quarter of 2024.

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Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds is 60.8%.

Nwaneri says youth unemployment has reached crisis levels.

“We are issuing a clarion call to corporate SA. The fight against youth unemployment is no longer a conversation that we have on various platforms. It is now a crisis. It is a challenge that has long plagued our nation and is not just a shared burden. It’s an opportunity to reshape SA’s future,” she says.