JOHANNESBURG, June 16 — To mark National Youth Day on Monday, South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile emphasized that the challenges facing young people in South Africa must be addressed with urgency, particularly the high rate of unemployment. “The high unemployment rate is more than just an economic issue. It is a moral emergency. It affects our whole society and demands urgent action from all sectors — government, business, and communities at large,” he noted. With youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 35 sitting at over 40 percent, Mashatile said the government had partnered with various sectors, including the private sector and civil society organizations, to address the crisis. Mashatile was speaking at the Youth Day commemoration held in the North-West Province, which was observed under the theme “Skills for a Changing World — Embracing Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation.” He said work was underway with the youth employment accelerator, which aims to match the skills of young people with available opportunities. “We must fix the structural challenges in our economy to address inequality and skills mismatch between education and what the job market needs,” Mashatile stated. He said that while work was ongoing to address unemployment, the government was encouraging young people to be innovative and start their own businesses. National Youth Day in South Africa honors the Soweto uprising, which took place on June 16, 1976, in protest against the apartheid government’s directive that Afrikaans be used as the medium of instruction in African schools.
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