By OBAKENG MAJE
The high rate of unemployment continues to have a negative impact on people especially those in deep rural areas. Katlego Setlhapelo (38) from Pudimoe Township near Taung said, since he was retrenched back in 2015, life has been difficult.
Setlhapelo said he had to come up with a back-up plan to earn a living because he stays only with her mother who is a pensioner.
“I am now washing sneakers for people to earn an income. So, I started with this initiative after being retrenched from my previous job in Rustenburg. I saw this idea while in Rustenburg and I implemented it here at home.
“Before this, I tried my level best to look for a job, but my attempts were futile. So, I charge R40 per sneaker and I have been receiving unwavering support from my community since then,” he said.
Setlhapelo said even though some customers take long before they could come and fetch their sneakers, atleast he can put food on the table at the end of the day. He also urged anyone who could assist him with a proper structure with shelter to come forward because during the rainy season, he cannot perform his duties due to bad weather conditions.
“If I have a proper structure where I can work from, I think I could also create more job opportunities for other people. It is hard because our leaders do not take us seriously, especially the youth. When it is during voting time, they will come to us, but if there are job opportunities, they call their cronies,” he said.
Another young person, Palesa Pule (25) from Dinokana village in Zeerust, who is a Political Science and International Relations graduate from the North West University (NWU) shared the same sentiments.
“I’ve always dreamt of a corporate job, so I followed my dream and went in to enrol for a course that I believed could open doors for me to serve the people of my country. However, all that vanished in front of my eyes.
“I completed my degree in 2018, and I have been unemployed since then. I sought and actively applied for any vacancy possible without even being picky about the job because all I wanted was to work,” Pule said.
However, due to the high level of unemployment, Pule said she figured out that, one should by any means, put bread on the table.
“I ventured into entrepreneurship with very little knowledge, but with so much determination. I started by registering a decor and catering company called Dimpho Home Incentives PTY (LTD), which now has five permanent employees.
“I have now forgotten about the struggle of job hunting. The level of job scarcity in our country is without a doubt embedded in the preferences and requirements that come with the job specifications,” said Pule.
The chairperson of the Re Aga Taung Civic Organisation, Modisaotsile Lebitse (40) called on policymakers and leaders to address treble challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty, as they are interdependent socio-economic phenomena.
“High rate of unemployment is a thorn in the flesh, especially in Taung. Our area is rich in mineral resources like diamonds, tourism, and agriculture. However, we continue to live beyond the poverty line.
“We are going to sign a petition to ensure that mining investors come on board and ensure that job opportunities are created. Remember, the high rate of unemployment contributes to socio-economic challenges such as crime, high rate of pregnancies among young people, drug, and alcohol abuse.”
The Guardian 