As Youth Day approaches, we are reflecting on the biggest issue that South African youth are currently facing: unemployment.
Loadshedding continues to be a major contributing factor in the already detrimental state of unemployment amongst South African youth. The frequent power outages have disrupted business operations and production, leading to reduced economic activity and job losses. This means even less job opportunities.
Overall, loadshedding has had a negative impact on the South African economy and employment, exacerbating existing structural issues such as high levels of unemployment, inequality, and poverty. According to Statistics South Africa, the number of unemployed people totalled 7.933 million in the January-March period, from 7.753 million people in the last three months of 2022. A major concern is the level of youth unemployment at 46.5%, as those in the 15-34 age range account for over half the country’s employable population of 40.6 million aged between 15 and 64.
In particular, loadshedding has had a significant impact on industries that are energy-intensive, such as manufacturing and mining. These industries have experienced reduced productivity and increased costs due to the need to use alternative power sources during outages. As a result, many companies have been forced to lay off workers or reduce their working hours, contributing to higher unemployment rates.
Furthermore, loadshedding has also affected small and medium-sized businesses, which are the largest employers in South Africa. These businesses often lack the resources to invest in alternative power sources and may struggle to stay afloat during extended periods of power outages.
