Sadtu calls for urgent measures to address youth unemployment
They confronted the brutal machinery of the apartheid state
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said it salutes the youth of 1976 for their bravery, unity, and undying spirit. This year’s Youth Month is observed under the theme: “Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation.”
To fully grasp the significance of 16 June, one must understand the bleak landscape of South Africa in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Image: Olia Danilevich / Pexels
This day pays tribute to the brave young people who, on June 16, 1976, rose in protest against the apartheid regime’s imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in black schools. Armed with nothing but courage and stones, they confronted the brutal machinery of the apartheid state. Many were killed, arrested, and injured, but their resistance ignited a wave of defiance that accelerated the struggle for liberation.
According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2025, youth unemployment remains alarmingly high. The total number of unemployed youth rose by 151,000 to 4.8 million. At the same time, the number of employed youth declined by 153,000 to 5.7 million. This pushed the youth unemployment rate from 44.6% in Q4 of 2024 to 46.1% in Q1 of 2025.
The union said this year’s theme resonates with its 10th Congress theme which emphasise the strengthening of foundational learning and functional skills to advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
“For many young South Africans, skills for the changing world are out of reach. Many lack access to quality education and skills development opportunities. Others, despite having qualifications, find that job opportunities are few and shrinking,” the union said.
The union said it calls on the private sector to rise to the challenge to:.
- Invest in quality education and training that responds to the demands of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution.
- Expand access to vocational, artisan, and technical training.
- Support youth entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Prioritise youth employment in both public and private programmes.
“As SADTU, rooted in the education sector, we reaffirm our commitment to support initiatives aimed at skilling the youth. But beyond just skills, we advocate for a holistic education system that builds caring, tolerant, patriotic, and socially responsible citizens. To fail our youth today is to betray the sacrifices of the 1976 generation. Let us honour their legacy by empowering today’s youth to shape a better tomorrow not from the margins, but from the centre of our society and economy,” the statement concluded.