SAYEC Youth Jobs Imbizo Official Press Release

For Immediate Release:

RE: SAYEC to host its inaugural Youth Jobs Imbizo 2022 in Cape Town

The South African Youth Economic Council notes with deep concern the ever-rising levels of youth unemployment in South Africa. Global trends inform us that any nation that values its social security cannot afford to overlook a 74.8% youth unemployment rate, but what is more alarming in our case is the lack of intervention and urgency from the government and business to ensure that this crisis is addressed. The release of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey’s 4th quarter results also necessitates an agile response to the 35.3% official unemployment rate and the 74.8% youth unemployment rate. As a country with an excess supply of labour, decisive measures must be put in place to ensure that the demand side of the labour market in South Africa is stimulated, to absorb the masses of our young people in need of work and a dignified living wage.

As means to coordinate an immediate response to this crisis, the South African Youth Economic Council will be hosting its inaugural Youth Jobs Imbizo, in Cape Town with the intention of bringing together various organs of state and executives of companies whose operations have a colossal impact on our economy and employment figures. The imbizo will take place under the guise of the following topic:

Theme: Assessing government and private sector policies, across key strategic sectors in our economy necessary for mass youth employment in South Africa.”

The Jobs Imbizo will consist of focused discussions on the following 4 sectors of the economy:

· Energy

· Financial Services

· Technology & Arts

· SMMEs

From the aforementioned sectors, SAYEC has invited the ministers responsible for the operation of each sector and corporate as well as business leaders of the top firms in each industry to engage on the theme of the Jobs Imbizo. Our council calls on more public and private stakeholders with a keen interest in solving the unemployment crisis to participate in the imbizo, either through their attendance or availing themselves to speak at the Jobs Imbizo.

We also wish to acknowledge like-minded entities that have partnered with us to ensure that this initiative comes into fruition, particularly because they share the same sentiments with our council in our sentiments that a failure to unite in our efforts to solve the unemployment and poverty question will threaten our social security and democracy. These are the stakeholders:

1. Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA)

2. National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

3. City of Cape Town.

4. Black Management Forum (BMF).

5. Youth Employment Service (YES)

We will be announcing speakers that will be participating at the Jobs Imbizo in the coming days on all SAYEC social media platforms and the details of the nature of their participation in the event.

The Jobs Imbizo is open to all young people, youth owned organizations and concerned stakeholders of Cape Town and in South Africa at large who wish to be in attendance and engage with the speakers who will be present. Members of the media are also strongly encouraged to attend the Jobs Imbizo.

Please note the following logistical details of the event:

Date(s): 29th and 30th April 2022

Venue: The Westin Hotel, Cape Town

Time: 9-5 on both days

Maximum delegate intake: 300

For those wishing to attend the Youth Jobs Imbizo, kindly RSVP via the SAYEC website at www.sayec.co.za before the 21st of April 2022 12pm.

End.

Issued by the South African Youth Economic Council

Sthandiwe Msomi

National Spokesperson & Communications Officer

spokesperson@sayec.co.za/ 081 413 5999