Rustenburg – Young people in and around Rustenburg have voiced their strong disagreement with recent controversial claims made by ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe, who stated that the youth are too lazy to seek employment. Mantashe's assertions come at a sensitive time, amidst ongoing service delivery challenges that have fuelled frustration in the North West Province.
The ANC chairperson's comments were made during an interview with the SABC last week, where he suggested that the country’s youth expect the government to simply hand them jobs, rather than actively seeking them out themselves. "During my interview with the SABC, I gave a balanced view, but political analysts blew it out of proportion and vulgarised it," Mantashe has since stated, accusing critics of exaggerating his remarks.
However, for many young people in the area, Mantashe's words ring hollow against the backdrop of a harsh economic reality. In Moruleng township, where President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his keynote address at the ANC’s 114th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, young people spoke of the daily struggles of unemployment and their desperate attempts to forge a living.
Lebogang Kgosi, a 25-year-old, is one such individual. He explained that high crime levels in Northam, coupled with the difficulty of finding work, led him to relocate to Moruleng. He now earns approximately R650 a day by offering a unique transport service to community members, using a rented bicycle adapted into a rickshaw. This provides an alternative to taxis for those needing to carry groceries or reach clinic appointments.
"Before moving to Moruleng, I used to transport people with their groceries to and from the shops in Northam, but (I had to stop) because of crime and continuous muggings," Kgosi explained. Despite occasional clashes with the established taxi industry, he finds conditions in Moruleng to be an improvement. "It is not because we do not want jobs, but there are no jobs, and because there are no jobs, we do what we can to make a living," he asserted.
Another young man, Maruping Chauke, from Lerume township near Mogwase, has taken a different approach to combatting unemployment. Faced with a lack of job opportunities, he has taken it upon himself to repair a pothole-ridden stretch of tar road. On a good day, he earns around R100 for his efforts, which he says is enough to deter him from resorting to crime, specifically stealing copper cables.
"I stopped stealing copper cables after I was confronted and beaten by the community," Chauke revealed. "Since then, I have been helping the community by servicing this part of the road to avoid a life of crime and drugs."
Terrence Masehle shared his own decade-long struggle with unemployment. He explained that he spends much of his time travelling long distances in search of work, often to no avail. "There are no jobs, and if we are lucky enough, we get piece jobs, which are not enough. Sometimes you walk to the point where your shoe breaks," he lamented. He also criticised the government's support measures, stating: "This government has not done enough to ensure that we have jobs and to provide for our families. Look at the issue of the R350 grant. How can a grown-up like me survive and provide for his children on this grant? Our children do not respect us due to how the government treats us."
However, not all young people agree with the assessment that a lack of opportunity is the sole issue. Vuyo Matshenya, a 21-year-old working at a retail store in Moruleng mall, believes that some young people lack initiative. He pointed out that some of his peers spend their time drinking instead of investing in their future.
"I tend to agree with what Mr Gwede Mantashe said because some of the young people do not want to look for jobs," Matshenya stated. "You see, for me to be employed today, I spent months going from one shop to the next. Eventually I got a learnership, and now I can provide for myself and my family."
Pilane Modise offered a scathing critique of the ANC's performance, claiming that "everything is reserved for comrades or those connected to the ANC," from corruption to education and job opportunities. "I was very insulted by what Gwede Mantashe said," he added.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his keynote address, pledged the party's commitment to creating a more favourable environment for young people to prosper through the expansion of economic opportunities. It remains to be seen whether these promises will translate into tangible improvements for the youth of Rustenburg and the wider North West Province, who are currently navigating a complex landscape of unemployment, service delivery challenges, and conflicting opinions on the root causes of their struggles.
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