By REGINALD KANYANE
25 December 2025- The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) said it notes that while today is Christmas Day, traditionally a period of joy, rest and family, millions of young people across South Africa are experiencing a black Christmas marked by unemployment, hunger and deepening economic exclusion.
The ANCYL said youth unemployment remains the single greatest threat to social stability, dignity and the future of the country.
The ANCYL Secretary General, Tsakani Shiviti said with millions of young people unable to access work, education or economic opportunities, Christmas arrives not as a season of hope, but as a painful reminder of broken promises and deepening inequality. Shiviti said many young South Africans are unable to provide for themselves or their families, while others face the daily reality of dependency, mental distress and loss of purpose.
“The ANCYL reiterates its call on the President of the Republic, Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently declare youth unemployment a national disaster. The scale and persistence of the unemployment crisis, particularly among young people, demand an extraordinary and coordinated response from the state.
“This crisis meets all the criteria of a national disaster and must be treated with the urgency it deserves,” she said.
Shiviti further said declaring unemployment a national disaster, will allow the state to mobilise resources, fast-track interventions, remove bureaucratic delays and implement bold, youth-centred economic programmes at scale. She added that it will also send a clear message that the government recognises the depth of the crisis and is prepared to act decisively in the interests of the people.
“The ANCYL calls on all spheres of government to prioritise mass youth employment, industrialisation, skills development, localisation, support for youth-owned enterprises and the expansion of public employment programmes as immediate relief measures.
“Long-term structural reforms must also be accelerated to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” said Shiviti.
She said as the world marks Christmas today, the ANCYL affirms its unwavering commitment to continue fighting for the economic freedom, dignity and future of young people. Shiviti said they refuse to normalise unemployment and poverty as permanent features of our democracy.
“The youth of South Africa deserve more than survival, they deserve opportunity, hope and a future,” she said.
The Guardian 