Young people wait outside Athlone Stadium for job opportunities.
Image: Phiri Cawe
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is facing mounting pressure to account for the chaos at Athlone Stadium, where an estimated 25 000 job seekers descended on the City’s “A Day of 1 000 Opportunities” event, triggering a stampede that left several people injured.
According to reports, the initiative, aimed at linking unemployed youth to opportunities in the contact centre industry, drew crowds far exceeding the venue’s capacity. Many hopefuls had queued from as early as 4am, only to be turned away once gates were shut.
The event was hosted by CapeBPO, the City’s special purpose vehicle (SPV), as part of efforts to create a direct pathway into the growing sector.
ANC councillor Judy-Ann Stevens said the mayor must take responsibility for what she described as a serious failure in planning and execution.
“You cannot invite thousands of desperate unemployed youth to a jobs initiative without proper crowd control, safety measures and clear communication,” she said.
She added that many attendees spent money they could not afford, endured long queues, and were ultimately met with confusion, overcrowding and injuries and, in some cases, arrests.
“We are calling on the mayor to take full responsibility. This... reflects broader issues in how the City engages with unemployed youth,” she said.
Hill-Lewis referred questions to Mayco member for economic growth, James Vos. Responses were later provided by the City’s economic development directorate.
“As per the City’s update last week, immediate steps were taken by stakeholders to assist with the high volumes of applicants, with thousands of attendees receiving assistance at the venue,” the City said.
“Medical personnel were on the scene to assist those who sustained injuries due to crowd jostling.
“The City thanks all teams, including emergency services, Law Enforcement, SAPS and all personnel who assisted on the day to cope with the high turnout, which far exceeded the previous four years of this annual event, and the City regrets that not everyone could be attended to on the day.”
Stevens also questioned the effectiveness of such job-seeker programmes.
“A similar initiative was held last year and many young people registered and are still waiting for responses. So the key question is: are they actually creating jobs or false hope?
“Job creation initiatives must be dignified, properly planned and must lead to real outcomes—no chaos and disappointment. We are calling for a full investigation, support for those who were injured and assurance from the City that this will never happen again,” she said.
The City said more than 100 000 jobs have been created by the BPO industry.
“The BPO sector continues to present significant opportunities for Cape Town residents, employing over 100 000 people, especially in lower-income communities.
“Industry growth continues to be driven by CapeBPO, the City’s special purpose vehicle for the call centre industry.”
Cape Times