Unemployed young South Africans need more than skills — we need social innovation and ingenuity

When Justin Moloi graduated with a degree in electrical engineering in 2024, he had ambitions of working as an electrical technician or engineer in the healthcare technology or renewable energy industries. At 26, he is still waiting for that opportunity. While he remains hopeful, he says it’s painful to still be struggling to find a job. “Most jobs require experience, and even internships are limited. I’ve applied to many positions and attended a few interviews, but I rarely receive feedback or follow-ups. It’s disheartening and discouraging at times.”

Justin is not alone. He speaks for millions of young people in South Africa who send out CVs and attend interviews every day, many of them with degrees and formal qualifications. According to official statistics, 43% of South Africans aged 15 to 34 are unemployed. More worrying still is how persistent this crisis has been. Despite numerous initiatives and programmes, youth unemployment remains stubbornly high.

Solutions already exist, but they’re not fit for purpose

The problem is not a lack of solutions, but that too many interventions are poorly designed for the realities young people face. Skills training alone is not enough. It must be paired with psychosocial readiness, a sense of belonging, and agency.

Many young people lack the supportive networks that make internships or entry-level jobs accessible to those in more privileged environments. Linear transitions from school to work are increasingly out of reach. Some young people, like Justin, must support family members and simply cannot afford repeated transport costs, data or printing CVs – only to be rejected again.

Having worked in youth development for more than a decade, we have seen which programmes make a real difference – and why. This insight is borne out by our recent research. The 2025 Youth Development Innovation Review, which profiles 14 organisations nationally and indicates that the ones that work recognise complexity, reduce practical barriers and support young people over time.

One such organisation is Mintor, which tackles the brutal cost of looking for work. By using WhatsApp for CV building and job applications, Mintor reduces job-search costs for township youth by nearly 90%. Founder Leánne Viviers explains that many young people rely on internet cafés, where limited time and access mean they often miss responses or interview invitations altogether.

Mintor has supported more than 100,000 jobseekers and improved first-year job retention rates by 70%. It is now expanding into markets such as Kenya and Indonesia.

Young people need on-ramps into the economy

For young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), the challenge is not just the absence of jobs, it is the absence of on-ramps into the economy. This requires broadening how we define employability.

The Amathuba Collective offers a useful model. It supports young people through integrated psychosocial and leadership development, recognising that readiness for work begins with personal stability and self-belief. Alongside training programmes, it builds collaborative networks that help small businesses grow and create pathways into economic participation. The organisation supports about 12,000 young people nationwide.

“For our young people to absorb what they learn and apply it with confidence, they need to be well,” says founder and director Emily Rudolph. One of Amathuba’s key interventions is a mental health support call centre that provides weekly check-ins for at least a year. This is paired with a four-week foundation programme focused on emotional resilience, personal vision and confidence.

Research consistently shows that impact is most sustainable when skills development is embedded in lived experience. Participants in programmes like Amathuba’s report not only gain technical skills, but also confidence, communication ability, resilience and problem-solving capacity.

Collaboration is essential

No single organisation can solve youth unemployment alone. Meaningful progress requires stronger partnerships between employers, the government, funders and communities to create credible pathways into work.

But collaboration only works when partners are aligned. Youth organisations stress that employability is developmental, not transactional. When young people are given time, mentorship and meaningful roles, they are far more likely to transition successfully into employment, entrepreneurship or further learning.

Young people need more than skills. They need belief, support and opportunity. Investing in youth social innovation is not charity; it is an investment in economic resilience.

The take-home message is simple: the solutions already exist. They are being built, tested and refined by organisations working closest to young people, often with limited resources but deep insight. The future of millions of young South Africans depends on whether we choose to recognise, respect and resource that ingenuity. DM

Simnikiwe Xanga is a project officer on the Youth Innovation portfolio at the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship based at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Luvuyo Maseko is a project manager for the Bertha Centre. The centre recently published the Youth Development Innovation Review, which can be accessed here.