Att: The Editor – The Cape Times
EMAIL:    ‘ctletters@inl.co.za’

I’ve been in the practice of labour law since 1982.  Never in my experience have I seen a situation so dire as our youth unemployment figures.  We have seen the latest study which says that joblessness amongst the 15 to 24 year olds is just over 45% in South Africa.  We are the worst by comparison with the G20 nations.  We also understand these figures are made all that much more worse in the overwhelming majority of the youth who are unemployed and come from impoverished families and are uneducated.  The situation in South Africa is reflective of a government that is failing the people.  The youth who are unemployed have very little chance of finding employment as they have no means to get education or training.  Our country treats the most vulnerable with disdain.  The business community are too scared to create employment when they have to face onerous and restrictive labour laws and a highly unionised environment.  Our government could create more and more exemptions from the labour law for small business and they could bring back proper vocational training.  The vocational training in countries such as Germany have been a boom to their market.  It almost feels as if the government is completely controlled by the trade union movement who are merely wanting better and better wages for those that are already in employ.

The unemployment rate amongst the youth is very explosive and we all know it’s getting worse. The electorate needs to understand that as citizens we must stand up for our children and vote for change.  An important election is coming up in 2016 and hopefully all of us have job creation on our minds when we have to make our mark on the ballot.

MICHAEL BAGRAIM

13 October 2014