Youth Day | ‘Nothing to celebrate, our youth is unemployed!’- PFA lambasts historic day

Patriotic Front of Azania (PFA) has lambasted the ANC-led government for failing unemployed graduates.

PFA ,an ANC broke-away party, stressed high levels of unemployment rate in the country, and said the ruling party is not a solution to alleviate economic crisis.

Currently, youth unemployment rate in the country currently sits at 66%, “this means that the youth of 1976 who fought for better education were betrayed by the post-apartheid government,” PFA said in an issued statement.

“Thousands of students who bravely faced the apartheid machinery guns in Soweto’s townships, thought they were sowing seeds for a better future for generations to come.

“But alas, after 238 years of uninterrupted ANC rule, the future is bleak as it was 46 years ago,” said PFA leader, Johnny Maseko.

The statement also mentioned that some students have studied courses that were reserved for whites only, but prior to graduating they are still battling to find employment.

PFA further said that obtaining a degree is also a backslash.

“Statistics reveals that half of first-year students in South Africa’s 26 universities drop out after failing modules in their first year,” addressed Maseko.

“The enigma of those who make it to the summit and successful graduate at the completion of their four-year courses, face the unfortunate Zimbabwe-like dilemma.

“Zimbabweans are scattered around South Africa and Europe, in desperation, they grab whatever job opportunity that come in their way. So is the fate of South African youths/students, a disaster waiting to happen,” read the statement.

In addition, Maseko also mentioned that unemployed graduates end up finding piece jobs in Expanded Public Work Program (EPWP) that are low-paying.

The sad part is that other youth have university debts that need to be paid off.

PFA also slammed basic education, labelling it as a worst education system far worse than the apartheid’s Bantu education.

“In some instances some learners get progressed to the next grade even if they have clearly failed the grade.

“The age of the learner and number of times a learner has failed a grade influences to place the learner to the next grade,” the party added.

The party blamed poor infrastructure at various schools, where learners are still subjected to unclean water, sewerage spillages and mud schools.

“It’s the betrayal of the immense sacrifices of 1976 by any language,” concluded the statement.