Various youth activist NPOs including The Melisizwe Mandela Foundation, Citizens Action Campaign and civil societies protest during the National Unemployment Campaign March on June 24, 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. it is reported that the group marched for permanent employment for all among other demands. Picture: Gallo Images/Laird Forbes
Youth unemployment in Tshwane is a ticking time bomb as unemployed residents took matters into their own hands and took to the streets, marching from business to business to demand job opportunities.
This week, the Tshwane Bahlali Dudulas and unemployed residents from Mamelodi, Nellmapius and Eersterust marched to businesses in Watloo to hand over more memorandums with demands.
Last month, the group marched to the Ford Motor Company and the N4 Gateway Industrial Park with CVs in their hands in hopes of walking away with a job at the end of the day.
ALSO READ: WATCH: March to Ford Motor Company ahead of Youth Day to demand jobs
Organiser Khutso Smesh Semetjane said residents were calling for employment equality and prioritisation of local residents’ employment.
“We launched a new action today and went to SAB [SA Breweries] and Premier Foods.
We submitted our memorandum of demands. “We demand employment for people living in Mamelodi, Nellmapius and Eersterust and business opportunities for locals prioritised,” Semetjane said.
Semetjane said they also want collective investment schemes (CIS) funds to be prioritised and distributed in these areas.
“We have given them seven days to respond and after the seven days we will be calling for a meeting with the community to give them feedback,” Semetjane said.
He said the participating marchers were registered and screened on the day and will be the first ones in line when job opportunities become available.
Alfred Masando said he joined the march because he was a concerned father and member of the community.
“We need more jobs for our people, they are struggling because of all this inflation rate, food prices, petrol prices and the unemployment rate remains high,” he said.
Masando said the youth was sitting around and not doing anything. “They start doing drugs because they are not finding jobs,” he said.
“Others walk the streets or hang out at the malls scavenging for things and scratching in dustbins for food. That’s why I am here today, for the youth.”
Masando said the local companies should offer internships or development programmes to get the youth off the street and start teaching them skills.
A marcher speaking anonymously said workers were transferred from as far as KwaZulu-Natal to work in companies and factories in Tshwane. – marizkac@citizen.co.za
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