The adage “education is the key to success” has become but a debilitating tranquilliser for thousands of graduates languishing at home with hopes of finding a job fading with each passing day.
Portia Mdluli, 27, of KaMhlushwa in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga is one of many graduates in the country who is unable to get a job.
Mdluli obtained a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of South Africa in 2018, but has yet to find employment.
“After completing my studies I did in-service training and volunteered in several private schools. I believe that I qualify to get a job and have been applying but to no avail. Honestly, I am depressed and do not know why I don’t get a job.
“I know a lot of people who completed their studies but still failed to get employment. I have a nine-year-old son and am expecting another child soon as I am currently pregnant.
“Life is hard as my husband, who works for a local security company, is the only breadwinner,” said Mdluli.
Mdluli is qualified to teach maths, science, social sciences, Swati, English, life skills and arts and culture to pupils in grades 4-9.
Velly Shakoane, 34, from Daveyton in Ekurhuleni, is an electrical engineering graduate who is also struggling to get employment.
Shakoane graduated in 2019, and he has been unemployed since.
“Life is hard because of this situation. After completing my studies I only got a learnership. I rented a room here in Daveyton because originally I am from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
“I survive on fixing electric appliances and related appliances for the community members and also do different temporary jobs at local stores,” said Shakoane.
“I think corruption is the problem because I attended many interviews but never got a job. I think jobs are reserved for the managers’ relatives.”
Sifiso Phosa, 28, from Marite, near Hazyview in Mpumalanga, is a mechanical engineering graduate who has been struggling to get employment since 2018.
“I am no longer applying because I know very well that I won’t get the job. I am worried because it is painful to wake up every day and just stay at home without doing anything. I completed my diploma at the Tshwane University of Technology,” he said.
Statistics from Statistics South Africa this week showed that of the 3.8 million discouraged job seekers, 2.2 million are young people between the ages of 15 and 34.
Palesa Pule, 25, from Dinokana village in Zeerust, is a political science and international relations graduate from the North West University.
She said she is not wallowing in her situation.
“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, she was determined that she was not going to be among those who wait for someone to hire them but instead created a job for herself.
“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, 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 embedded in the preferences and requirements that come with the job specifications,” said Pule.
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