663. Mr M G P Lekota (Cope) to ask the Minister of Labour:
Whether government measures to stimulate job creation has had any
positive impact on unemployed young South African citizens in the 18-
35 years age group during the period July 2009 to March 2013; if not,
why not; if so, how many young South Africans, according to their
respective qualifications, had (a) full-time employment, (b) part-time
employment, (c) self-employment and (d) no employment? NW824E
Minister of Labour reply:
Youth unemployment amongst the 18 -35 years age group is both a South
African National and an International problem that governments
departments locally and across the world are implementing various
policies, measures and interventions as part of their response to
addressing this challenge.
Our government has implemented a number of major infrastructural
projects across various Departments such as the EPWP, rebuilding of
the 2010 stadiums, rehabilitation of old roads and building of new
roads, Gautrain, Airports, electricity power stations etc, that have
provided short term, full time and self-employment to youth and other
work seekers. Departments and statutory bodies where relevant, have
provided detailed information in their Annual Reports tabled at
Parliament since 2009. As part of my departmentâs contribution towards
addressing youth unemployment problem and based on the resources and
programs that fall within the ambit of the legislation that we
oversee, we contributed as follows:
⢠During the 2009/10 financial year the Department of Labour,
through its Employment and Skills Development Services provided
training to 11 928 unemployed work seekers, 6 933 of whom
received accredited training and various qualifications levels.
A total of 232 939 work seekers who qualified during and before
2008/09 were placed in employment on most of the infrastructure
projects that were underway at the time. The Umsobomvu Youth
Fund was transferred from my Department and merged with the
National Youth Commission to form the National Youth Development
Agency whilst the skills development administration, powers, and
functions were transferred through a Presidential Proclamation
to the Ministry of Higher Education and Training with effect
from 1st November 2009.
As from 2010, the Employment Services functions that remained with
the Department continued to provide the following free services namely:
- Registration of work seekers, work opportunities & other placement
opportunities, assessment, employment counseling and matching of work
seekers with available placement opportunities.
- Provision of specialized services to specific categories of work
seekers including youth, new entrants into the labour market, disabled
persons & rural and urban communities who find it very difficult to
enter the labour market.
- Facilitate the exchange of information amongst labour market
participants including employers, work seekers, PEAâs, SETAâs &
training providers.
During the 2010/11 financial year, a total of 483 038 work seekers
with various qualification levels were registered on the Departmentâs
Employment Services System of SA (ESSA). 70% of those registered were
referred to employment counselling, placement, and other services. The
Department also subsidized the salaries of placement officials in
various councils of people with disabilities to the tune of R681 000. As
a result these councils registered a total of 1 746 unemployed people
with disabilities and placed a total of 961 thereof.
During the 2011/12 financial year, a total of 553 883 work seekers
were registered, of these, 222 956 of were provided with employment
counseling and another 96 505 were referred and or placed in registered
opportunities.
At the end of Quarter 3 of the 2012/13 financial year, a total of 427
349 work seekers were registered, of these 52 223 youth (that included
35 352 women and 1 221 people with disabilities) were referred to other
opportunities or placed in employment.