- Inkosi Zanothando Mtirara of Mthatha West says young people are relying on grants meant for the elderly, after youth unemployment rose to 47.4% with five million young people jobless.
- Inkosi Mtirara wants the government to reopen old factories, fund young entrepreneurs and work with business, and says traditional leaders will make land available to young people who want to farm.
A senior traditional leader in Mthatha has called on the government to act on youth unemployment, saying jobless young people are relying on social grants meant for the elderly.
Inkosi Zanothando Lithalobom Mtirara of the Mthatha West Traditional Authority in the Eastern Cape spoke after Statistics South Africa released its latest labour figures in August.
They show that 47.4% of people aged 15 to 34 were unemployed in the second quarter of 2026. That is about five million young people.
The Eastern Cape also had the highest overall unemployment rate of any province, at 47.5%.
Inkosi Mtirara said urgent, practical steps are needed to “restore hope and dignity” among young people. He said thousands of qualified graduates are sitting at home without work, which puts extra pressure on families and communities.
He said some young people now depend on grants meant mainly for the elderly and other vulnerable people.
Inkosi Mtirara said a lack of real opportunities also leaves young people open to drug and substance abuse, crime and other social problems. He said leaders cannot keep watching a whole generation lose hope while its potential goes to waste.
He wants the government to reopen old and abandoned factories, especially in towns and rural areas. He believes this would create jobs, boost local economies and bring life back to communities hit by the loss of industry.
He also wants the private sector to help. He said the government cannot create jobs alone, and government, business and traditional leaders must work together to build lasting jobs.
Inkosi Mtirara called for money and easy access to funding for young entrepreneurs, so they can become employers and not “lifelong job seekers”.
He said traditional leaders are ready to make land available in their communities to young people who want to farm. He said rural areas have great farming potential, and young people can take part in farming if they get land, funding, equipment, training and markets.
He also urged young people to organise themselves, speak up and work with the government to demand real jobs.
