Madam Chair, hon Minister of Mineral Resources, Comrade Susan Shabangu, and hon members, my speech would be incomplete if I did not mention the following historic and heroic events, led by workers, which truly changed the course of politics in South Africa. They were the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union of Clements Kadalie, the 1946 mineworkers' strike and the 1973 Durban workers' strike. They also led to the formation of today's gigantic Cosatu. I stand here today in this most honourable House as a young person from rural Limpopo, as a daughter of the property-less class, as an African and, most importantly, as a worker. I am able to stand here today in this House and not take this situation lightly, for I know where this country comes from and I know the blood with which this country was bought.
We know indeed how long and hard the road has been. From the underground mines of Johannesburg in the 1800s, to the belly of the Kimberley mines at the turn of the last century, to the farm workers of my province, which is rural Limpopo, to the Western Cape and the roar of the United Democratic Front, and to Cosatu throughout the 1980s, the workers have never been silent.
Indeed, decades ago we managed to label and throw away the sins of a so- called civilisation that aimed to define some as superior and others as inferior, enforcing a master-slave relationship that was never going to be accepted. We were able to throw away what poisoned our relationships in developing this country. As a result of that we are now able to work together to create a better life for our people. We are also grateful for the struggle by workers, who kept the home fires burning in the face of brutal repression and an environment of fear.
I also stand here today knowing that many young people like me face hardships that we dare not forget. It remains a concern that as we celebrate May Day we remember the reality of the growing number of young men and women who have never entered the work sphere, while others continue to perish in the mines because the bourgeois are more concerned with profits than the safety of their workers.
South Africa currently has a very high unemployment rate. This is a reality that we know, and it is also one that we know the government is fighting very hard to push back. Currently, the bulk of the total number of people who are unemployed, the majority of 73%, are the youth, and Africans in particular. These are young people aged between 18 and 35 who, despite their qualifications, have never entered the job market. We thus have 7,5 million people out of a total of 49 million who are unemployed.
As such, we as the youth and as women welcome the projects that are part of the process of job creation. We know the dignity that work brings, for it is through secure employment that one can afford a better life and decent living conditions for oneself and for future generations.
Taking this as a point of departure, we are also proud of the role played by the workers in the struggle for our freedom. We know that in the face of the terrifying apartheid state our alliance partners fought fearlessly for the workers, with many of them, such as Dulcie September, David Webster, the Mxenges and the Cradock Four, paying the ultimate price in the process. Many did not live to see their 40th birthdays, because their lives were ultimately sacrificed for the freedoms that we enjoy today.
The increased pressure that was exerted, both politically and economically, by the workers through various trade unions eventually brought the apartheid state to its knees. South Africa's economic boom of the late 1960s, at the time second only to Japan, was considerably weakened by the dedication and the clear vision of the workers.
We thus celebrate this day and believe that in moving forward we will create a better South Africa for all. We will work ever harder at closing the gap between the employed and the unemployed, while at the same time protecting the gains of the workers, which have been so valiantly fought for.
As we celebrate Workers' Day, we also take pride in the achievements so far of our government, led by the ANC. We are gaining more hope and more faith as we see new jobs being created. Indeed, at 23,9% our unemployment rate is at its lowest since the 2008 financial crisis. We have seen 365 000 new jobs being created and we have faith that with the bulk infrastructure projects under way we will see many more being created. The billions of rands allocated to the new industrial and manufacturing projects, as well as the investment in rail and transportation projects, should indeed go a long way towards giving our young people the chance to access a better life and to experience in reality the dignity that work brings to life.
In conclusion, Madam Chair, I would like to remind this House of the words of Comrade Karl Marx, who said that the workers must remain relevant and called for the unity of workers all over the world in order to engage and ultimately defeat the inhumane system of capitalism, which is driven by profit and profit alone - nothing else. I conclude by quoting Marx's call for unity: "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains." I thank you.