Idatha yakamuva evela ku-Statistics South Africa ikhombisa ukuthi izinga le-NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) phakathi kwabantu abaneminyaka engu-15-34 likhuphuke laya ku-45% ngekota yesibili ka-2026, lisuka ku-38% ngo-2012, njengoba kubikwe yi-GroundUp. Izinga lokungasebenzi kwentsha eneminyaka engu-15-24 likhuphuke laya ku-60.9% kwikota yokuqala, kanti inani eliphelele lentsha engasebenzi (15-34) lifinyelele ku-4.7 million, okubonisa ukwanda okungu-181,000 uma kuqhathaniswa nekota edlule.

Ukuntuleka Kwemisebenzi Kwentsha Nokungalingani Kwezifundazwe

Inani lentsha eqashiwe lehle ngo-258,000 laya ku-5.6 million phakathi nekota yokuqala ka-2026, ngokusho kwe-The Citizen. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, abantu abafuna umsebenzi abadangele bakhuphuke ngo-178,000 bafika ku-3.9 million. Imininingwane yesifundazwe iqokomisa ukungalingani okukhulu: iNtshonalanga Kapa igcina izinga eliphansi kakhulu lokungasebenzi kanye namandla aqinile okungenisa abafundi abashiya isikole emakethe yemisebenzi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, iNyakatho Kapa inezinga eliphezulu kakhulu le-NEET, cishe ngo-48% wabantu abaneminyaka engu-15 kuya ku-24 kanye no-53% walabo abaneminyaka engu-15 kuya ku-34 abangasebenzi noma abaqeqeshwayo noma abafundayo.

Impendulo Kahulumeni Nemiphumela Kazwelonke

Ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi eNingizimu Afrika kukhuphuke kusuka ku-31.4% ngasekupheleni kuka-2025 kuya ku-32.7% kwikota yokuqala ka-2026, ngokusekelwe ezibalweni ezivela ezikhishwe nguhulumeni ngokusemthethweni. UNgqongqoshe Wezokuqashwa kanye Nezabasebenzi uNomakhosazana Meth umemezele isithembiso sika-R350 million ngoMeyi 2026 sokufaka intsha engu-130,000 ezinhlelweni zokufunda kanye nokuqashwa. Ekhuluma kulesi simemezelo, uNgqongqoshe uMeth uthe: “Inkinga ebhekene nentsha ephakathi kweminyaka engu-15 no-34, ukuthi ukungasebenzi kusephezulu kakhulu cishe ku-46%, okugcizelela isidingo esiphuthumayo sokukhula komnotho okusheshayo, ukungenelela okuqondiwe emakethe yezabasebenzi kanye namathuba amakhulu okuqashwa kwentsha.” Isazi Sezibalo-Jikelele uRisenga Maluleke, ngesikhathi somhlangano nabezindaba, wengeze wathi: “Ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi kuthinta kakhulu intsha. Sinabasha abaningi abangasebenzi, abafunda noma abaqeqeshwayo.”

Lolu hlelo lukahulumeni luza phakathi kokuqashelwa kabanzi kwezithiyo ezihlelekile ezibhekene nentsha yaseNingizimu Afrika njengoba ingena emakethe yezabasebenzi. Njengoba izinga le-NEET liqhubeka nokwenyuka, ukusebenza kahle kokutshalwa kwezimali ekuthuthukisweni kwamakhono nasekudalweni kwemisebenzi kuzohlala kubhekwe njengoba kuqala ukusetshenziswa. Kulindeleke izibuyekezo ezengeziwe njengoba umkhankaso wokuqashwa kwentsha uqhubeka ezinyangeni ezizayo.