THE Free State Department of Employment and Labour has slammed the youth for the high unemployment rate.
The department launched a one-stop service campaign and outreach programme, where officials from different divisions went out to communities to inform and teach residents about their services.
Acting department spokeswoman Selewe Khesa said the department has database called Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA), where the youth could submit their CVs.
"The department has an intensive programme customised to help the youth write proper CVs, preparing them for employment and helping with the proper way to complete Z83 forms.
"We have new Z83 forms which appear more complex to them. Unfortunately, we receive an extremely less number of youth coming to our offices to seek help," she said.
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Khesa said the department has career counsellors whose job is to equip the youth with the necessary information and guidance.
Duduzi Mabaso, chairman of Progressive Youth Organisations, said government has deliberately kept the youth unemployed to use them for political purposes.
Mabaso said those programmes are not essential for the youth because of nepotism, corruption in the form of bribes, political connections as well as cadre deployment.
"The establishment of the R350 social grant is a clear sign that government has no intention of creating jobs for the youth. It would be a futile exercise to follow those processes in the department.
"This is a political strategy to have a high rate of unemployment in order for people to rely on government, and they will automatically view the ruling party as their beacon of hope.
"Our government has failed many years ago. We need to normalise starting our own businesses. We need to create wholesalers to conquer retail markets which are currently in the hands of foreign nationals," said Mabaso.
