Durban - One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to stop talking about job creation and instead provide measures that show tangible results.
Maimane was responding to Ramaphosa’s weekly newsletter, From the Desk of the President, where he writes that social employment offers young people hope and opportunity.
Maimane, on Twitter said South Africans don’t need more talk about job creation, and that action was desperately needed.
“On the substantive issue, you have no credibility on creating jobs for the youth.
‘Your government has no credibility on improving education in this country.The people of South Africa don’t need paragraphs. They need delivery on the ground,” Maimane said.
Maimane added screenshots of articles published since 2018 in which Ramaphosa promises millions of jobs or ‘big plans for job creation’ in the country.
Ramaphosa in his newsletter, while acknowledging Statistics South Africa’s figures of 66.5% youth unemployment, said although government had made substantial progress in broadening opportunities for young people in basic and higher education, millions of young people remain unemployed.
He said the youth of South Africa confronted new struggles in their quest to lead lives of dignity and in pursuit of a better life.
“Though we have made substantial progress in broadening opportunities for young people in basic and higher education, millions of young people remain unemployed.”
“The economic reforms we are implementing, alongside measures such as industrial policy to support labour-intensive growth sectors, aim to drive growth and expand private sector employment. However, we cannot simply wait for higher growth to create jobs, especially for young people.
“I hold the view that even as millions of people are unemployed, there is no shortage of work to be done to build a better South Africa.”