SA's unemployability factor deserves urgent attention, says analyst

JOHANNESBURG - Some analysts believe the staggering unemployment figures point to a systemic failure in the education sector.

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released the second quarter’s data on Tuesday, indicating a third consecutive rise in the country’s already-high unemployment rate.

More than 8.5 million people are now unemployed, with a worrying number of young people battling to find jobs after school.

The unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24 is above 60%, while the rate for the 25 and 35 cohort is more half of that.

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Accountant and social commentator Khaya Sithole says this is part of a dual crisis of the country’s missing middle.

This includes youth who couldn’t access higher education – making them less employable in the formal sector but also includes graduates with mismatched skills.

“So, you can imagine you’ve got that part of the economy that is growing and demanding very specialised skills and an education system that has left so many people in limbo.”

He says the unemployability crisis needs equal intervention.