Cyril Ramaphosa Calls for New Youth Employment Strategies As South Africans Question His Promises

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africa to fundamentally change its approach to youth unemployment, warning that repeating past strategies will not produce different results.

Speaking at the SA National Leadership Convening on Youth Employment on 22 October, Ramaphosa said the country must be willing to challenge entrenched practices and dismantle unnecessary barriers to work.

We cannot solve the challenge of youth unemployment simply by doing more of what we have always done.

The President’s address comes as South Africa faces a staggering youth unemployment rate, which climbed to 62.8% for the 15–24 age group in the second quarter of 2026. Despite the government’s ongoing initiatives, such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention and various public employment programmes, many citizens remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these measures.

Public reaction to the address was mixed, with many South Africans expressing frustration over the lack of tangible results. Critics have pointed to the persistent nature of the crisis, with some suggesting that the government’s focus should shift toward addressing structural issues, including the impact of illegal immigration on the local labor market.

The event, hosted by the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator in partnership with the Presidency and other stakeholders, aimed to mobilize coordinated action and scale up successful interventions. However, as the country grapples with an official unemployment rate of 33.6%, the pressure on the administration to deliver meaningful economic change continues to mount.