Sona 2024: Does ‘Tintswalo’ have a job?

While some people spend a lifetime looking for their muse, 30 years is all it took for President Cyril Ramaphosa, and he didn’t have to look far.

South Africa’s born-frees were the cornerstone of Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday.

Notably, Ramaphosa’s ‘Tintswalo’ analogy suggests that young people born into democracy have had a better socio-economic upbringing.

He said the government had introduced various programmes and policies to empower individuals from previously disadvantaged groups, improving their chances at success.

“When Tintswalo entered the world of work, she was able to progress and thrive with the support of the state’s employment equity and black economic empowerment policies.”

However, South Africa’s youth unemployment rate remains high at 43.4% in the third quarter of 2023.

So, has Tintswalo really entered the world of work?

READ MORE: ‘Democracy’s child’: Ramaphosa touts ANC’s 30-year track record at Sona 2024

Context matters

Economist at KPMG, Frank Blackmore said that although the country’s employment figures had improved over the last 30 years, adding context to the numbers was important.

Speaking to The Citizen, Blackmore noted that SA currently has 16.2 million jobs, compared to 8.9 million in 1994, signifying an increase of 82% over the 30-year period.

“While the population over this period increased from 43 million to about 62 million, the real increase in employment over this period—if we look at unemployment that has also however increased by around 60% [over the period], so a lot more context needs to be provided around these numbers,” he explained.

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Notable strides?

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said the government had taken steps to alleviate youth unemployment.

“Three years ago, building on the success of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), we launched the Presidential Employment Stimulus. Through this programme, we have created more than 1.7 million work and livelihood opportunities.

“Through the stimulus, we have placed more than one million school assistants in 23 000 schools, providing participants with valuable work experience while improving learning outcomes,” said Ramaphosa.

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‘Not permanent’

Blackmore acknowledged the government’s efforts but said the jobs created through the EPWP weren’t permanent.

“In fact, they probably aren’t defined as jobs, particularly in the true context of the word, because they’re obviously being paid for by taxpayers’ money,” he said.

“Real jobs can only be created in private sector under positive conditions,” he added.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s energy and infrastructural challenges have dampened investor confidence and made it difficult for businesses to thrive.

Blackmore believes the best way to foster job creation is for the government to allocate funds towards the “productive base” of the economy.

“Infrastructure is a massive problem in South Africa,” he said, adding there was also a need to address the energy crisis.

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