Statistic South Africa has reported that youth unemployment in the Central Karoo in Beaufort West is a growing crisis.
The report shows that the unemployment rate in the town for youth aged 15 to 24 was approximately 55.6% in 2022.
With a lack of business investment and skills development, young people are struggling to get out of the grips of poverty, drug abuse and crime.
The scourge of youth unemployment:
Resident Shaun Brown says there have been many good ideas for youth upliftment projects in the town, such as the Youth Hub and SETA Training Centre, but not a lot of will to keep them going.
“I am also a youth and I see other friends still looking for jobs. We as community of Beaufort West, we look after ourselves and take care of ourselves and take care of each other because when there’s problems in our community we try to solve it, but job creation is something that the government should take care of and stick to their words,” says Brown.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) noted at the Workers’ Day rally that they are deeply concerned about high unemployment among the youth in the country.
