Deputy President Paul Mashatile
Pretoria, South Africa – Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on all South Africans to lend their support to the newly launched National Youth Service (NYS) initiative, which aims to tackle youth unemployment across the nation.
The Deputy President, alongside the Department of Defence and the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), unveiled the South African National Service Institution (SANSI) in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Addressing the launch, Mashatile highlighted the importance of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)-led NYS initiative. He underscored that the pilot programme would be implemented in the country’s most deprived districts, where youth unemployment is particularly pervasive.
Despite various government measures, such as the “Presidential Employment Stimulus” which has created over 1.7 million job opportunities, Mashatile expressed concern that many young South Africans still find themselves on the fringes of economic participation. Citing data from the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, he noted that the official unemployment rate stands at a disheartening 32.9%. The survey also revealed that approximately 3.6 million (35.5%) of the 10.3 million young people aged between 15 and 24 were not engaged in employment, education, or training (NEET).
“I am pleased that the DWYPD, in collaboration with the Department of Defence, adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to the skills revolution for the unskilled. This will have a significant impact on restoring livelihoods, creating wealth, and alleviating poverty and hunger among the marginalised,” Mashatile stated.
A Vision for a Brighter Future
According to the Deputy President, SANSI aims to optimise government resources by spearheading impactful projects that assist the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. “We envisaged inviting and encouraging young people to voluntarily join the National Youth Service, beginning with a character-building programme and progressing to industry demand-based education and training, ultimately leading to gainful employment or entrepreneurship,” he explained.
The establishment of SANSI seeks to develop, capacitate, and empower young, unemployed Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and university graduates through a structured skills-to-industry pipeline, paving the way for innovative entrepreneurship and sustainable employment.
The initiative also aims to transform young South Africans into proactive change agents who can address the country’s most pressing issues. These include food and agricultural value chain commercialisation, maritime and ocean economy, engineering and construction, manufacturing and infrastructure rollouts, and future-oriented skills like digital technologies and electronics.
A Tremendous Investment in Youth
Mashatile regards the project as a major milestone in South Africa’s journey towards a more robust and resilient society. He articulated that SANSI would serve as a hub for nurturing leadership, enhancing skills development, and promoting community engagement. “It will empower our young people to contribute meaningfully to the development of our country and the wellbeing of our communities,” he emphasised.
Looking forward, Mashatile announced that provincial launches of the initiative are yet to follow, with the project aiming to enrol at least 100,000 young participants within the current fiscal year. He called on eligible South African youths to seize the opportunity by submitting their applications in large numbers. “The youth must also take advantage of the opportunity presented by the programme to equip themselves with the much-needed skills,” he urged.
A Necessary Initiative
Minister of Defence Thandi Modise lauded SANSI as a critical and necessary initiative, extending her gratitude to DWYPD Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for her collaborative efforts. “It tallied with the call from all society that asked the Defence Force to do something and cries of mothers who had their hands on their heads and those who were trying to fight the nyaope. We see SANSI as that instrument in the hands of the Defence Force that will enable our children to come into their own,” said Modise.
Focusing on the young participants, Modise assured that the SANDF would instil discipline, punctuality, obedience, the ability to give and follow instructions, and leadership skills. “The military will keep an eye on every little cent spent on this project and will go to the future of this country and the skills that we need,” she said.
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