I write this letter in response to the deeply concerning narrative attributed to minister Gwede Mantashe, suggesting that the unemployment crisis affecting South Africa’s youth is a consequence of laziness.
Such assertions are not only dismissive of the lived realities of millions but also deflect accountability from systemic governance failures that have persisted for decades.
Under the stewardship of government departments and state-linked institutions, the promise that mineral wealth and energy resources would uplift surrounding communities remains largely unfulfilled.
Communities located adjacent to mining operations continue to experience underdevelopment, while the very resources extracted from their land contribute significantly to the national fiscus.
With the quantum of funds reportedly lost or mismanaged across various government-run institutions, I state unequivocally that I can create over 70 000 sustainable jobs – not a mere fraction thereof.
The issue before us is not a shortage of ideas, talent, or willingness to work. It is the absence of accountable implementation, strategic economic inclusion, and leadership grounded in measurable outcomes.
Unemployment in South Africa is not an abstract statistic; it is a lived trauma.
Families are disintegrating under the weight of financial strain. Breadwinners are forced into isolation, reluctant to share their modest earnings with
extended family members for fear of being overwhelmed by expectation.
Siblings grow resentful. Parents grow despondent. Marriages fracture.
Across social media platforms, we are witnessing a disturbing trend: graduates publicly tearing, burning, and discarding their qualifications in despair.
These are not acts of laziness; they are expressions of hopelessness. They signal a generation that feels betrayed by the very system that promised them dignity through education and opportunity.
South Africa does not lack human capital. It lacks decisive, transparent, and inclusive economic execution.
I maintain that within three months, through structured economic mobilisation and inclusive participation models, we can restore hope, stimulate employment, and demonstrate that economic revival is not theoretical – it is achievable.
What is required is the political will to redirect mismanaged resources into measurable impact.
This is a challenge to the government to account transparently for public funds, and an invitation to open public discourse on practical, scalable solutions that can move our nation beyond rhetoric and into measurable economic inclusion.
Oscar Tsebe, Johannesburg
