Fifty years after the youth of 1976 took to the streets demanding equal education, many young people in the Eastern Cape say unemployment is the defining struggle of their generation.
For Simphiwe Zendoda Ngqoshela, the promise that education would unlock opportunity has not materialised.
Ngqoshela is a qualified medical doctor who also holds a BCur nursing degree from Walter Sisulu University (now known as iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu).
Yet, despite many years of study and training, he has been unemployed for two years.
In April, youth unemployment in the Eastern Cape stood at a sky-high 49%, despite repeated assurances by the government that interventions were being made to address the crisis.
While pursuing his qualifications, Ngqoshela relied on support from family, friends and private donors.
“I could only pay some of my tuition through donations from private companies,” he said.
“Groceries and other expenses were covered by family and friends.
“Even today I still owe money to the university and cannot get my verification.”
After completing his medical degree, he spent two years as an intern at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha before completing community service at the Elsie Ballot Hospital in Mpumalanga in July 2024.
“Since then, I have been unemployed and survive through locum work here and there,” he said.
As SA marks the 50th anniversary of the June 16 uprising, Ngqoshela says the day has become more symbolic than practical for many young people.
“The youth of the past fought hard and some paid with their lives.
“Today it feels like a forgotten story because the whole thing has lost importance among both the old and the young,” he said.
He believes the government should do more to teach the younger generation about the significance of June 16.
“Celebrating the day as a reminder of where we come from is always a good idea. I think it was worth it.
“The problem is that later generations have failed to carry forward the spirit of fighting for a better life and equality.
“I have been unemployed for two years now.
“The department of health refuses to employ doctors while hospitals remain understaffed.
“It is frustrating because I have responsibilities and all the hard work studying seems pointless at times.
“All I can do is continue applying and hope for the best.”
Ngqoshela’s frustration is shared by thousands of graduates across the province.
For Lusanda Mjekula, 30, from Mdantsane, unemployment has become a daily battle though she holds a national certificate in versatile broadcasting and a diploma in journalism.
“It’s seeing people like me, with degrees and drive, being told to keep trying while no doors open,” she said.
“I endured years of schooling, hoping for a brighter future.
“I put in the work and bet on my future but I’m not being given an opportunity to prove myself.
“I’m still here, still applying, ready to work.”
Another graduate in limbo is Lukhanyo Mlomzale, 31, who holds a diploma in civil engineering.
He said the most painful part was not a lack of willingness to work, but the absence of opportunities.
“You reach a stage in life where you want stability, you want to build a future and support your family.
“Instead, you find yourself competing with thousands of other qualified people for a handful of opportunities.
“That can be incredibly discouraging. Young people are not lacking ambition or ability.
“We lack opportunities to turn our skills and potential into sustainable futures.”
We need youth industrial development zones in places such as Coega and the East London IDZ, as well as support for agriculture and agro-processing
— ANC Youth League Eastern Cape chair Lihle Chalo
Athenkosi Ntshiki said he had been sending CVs to prospective employers since 2023 without success.
“I think about giving up because this is draining, but I need to find work to take care of my family.
“Every time I submit an application my heart is heavy because I have received so many rejections.”
While many young people feel trapped by unemployment, business and political leaders believe solutions can be found if the government, private sector and young people work together.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business Youth Desk committee chair Zintle Nondwangu said a change in mindset was critical.
“Young people must be encouraged to see themselves not only as jobseekers but also as job creators.
“The future of work is about building ecosystems of skills, collaboration and innovation that stimulate economic growth.”
Nondwangu said the government should invest in training programmes aligned with local economic needs and create spaces where young people can collaborate and build businesses.
“For example, an IT graduate in Mdantsane can work remotely with another young person elsewhere to provide digital services.
“That creates income and allows communities to participate in the global economy.”
She said young people must also learn to identify challenges in their communities and turn them into opportunities.
“Every challenge, whether waste management, food insecurity or digital literacy, presents an opportunity for innovation.
“By identifying community needs and building solutions around them, young people can create jobs for themselves and others.”
Eastern Cape Chamber of Business secretary-general Dr Andile Nontso believes education should be aligned more closely with the economy.
“Marine studies and agriculture should be compulsory in schools because agriculture is a game-changer in the Eastern Cape,” he said.
“We must create internationally competitive young entrepreneurs, provide grants and blended finance and appoint mentors to support them.
“Youth unemployment must be treated as a state of emergency because it is a ticking time bomb.”
Nontso said the government spent significant amounts of money educating young people only for many of them to remain unemployed.
ANC Youth League Eastern Cape chair Lihle Chalo said youth unemployment should be declared a national disaster.
“Government must reprioritise budgets to create jobs and support youth businesses.
“We need youth industrial development zones in places such as Coega and the East London IDZ, as well as support for agriculture and agro-processing,” he said.
The league, he said, was tired of temporary interventions and wanted sustainable, corruption-free solutions.
DA Youth Eastern Cape chair Amzolele Nkulisa said the challenge was enormous.
“With more than 500,000 unemployed graduates nationally and hundreds of thousands entering the labour market every year, government cannot employ everyone,” he said.
Nkulisa said with 532,000 young people holding a tertiary education qualification among the ranks of the unemployed, and the system producing “roughly 227,000 new graduates every year”, youth unemployment was a mammoth challenge.
“Instead [the government] must create an environment where businesses can thrive because that is where jobs will ultimately come from.”
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