ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa promises jobs for South Africans of all ages; citizens question the pledge

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has made a renewed commitment to addressing the country’s unemployment crisis, promising to create jobs for South Africans across all age groups. The pledge comes as the governing party faces increasing pressure to deliver on economic growth and poverty alleviation.

We are working with businesses and workers to close loopholes in our tariff structure and develop additional measures to protect and grow our manufacturing base.

Despite the ambitious nature of the promise, many citizens have expressed skepticism, citing a history of unfulfilled economic targets and the persistent struggle of young people to enter the job market. Critics argue that without structural reforms and a more conducive environment for small and medium enterprises, such pledges remain largely aspirational.

The President emphasized that the government is focusing on public and social employment programmes to provide immediate livelihood opportunities while long-term economic strategies are implemented. However, the public remains divided on whether these interventions will be sufficient to turn the tide on the nation’s high unemployment rate.