President Ramaphosa has stressed the importance of addressing unemployment, urging a collective effort between the government and private sector to create jobs and revitalise the economy. PresidentCyril Ramaphosahas expressed concern over the high levels of unemployment in the country, revealing that the issue often keeps him awake at night. Speaking at Sun City in Rustenburg on Wednesday during the ANC’sJanuary 8 celebrationspreparations, Ramaphosa acknowledged the country’s ongoing challenges, including crime, state capture, and other socio-economic issues, but stressed that unemployment remains one of his biggest priorities.
“The issue of unemployment keeps all of us here on the stage awake,” he said, adding that the gravity of the situation particularly troubles him personally. “It especially keeps me awake at night in terms of trying to find solutions.” His comments come just days after ANC national chairpersonGwede Mantashesparked controversy during an interview with SABC. Mantashe criticised the dynamic between government and society, suggesting that many South Africans have become passive and expect the state to deliver all services.
“We have created a situation where people sit back, you sit in the sun, and expect the state to deliver,” he said, adding that this mindset was a mistake in governance. Mantashe argued that the country needed to move from a passive society to an active one where citizens take responsibility for their own success. He also spoke about a conversation he had with a young woman who complained about the lack of job opportunities despite receiving an education.
[paywall]
“The ANC has provided you with a fishing rod; now you expect the ANC to catch the fish for you,” Mantashe remarked, urging a shift in mindset among the public. Addressing the broader issue of public expectations, Mantashe, who is over 70 years old, added: “I am over 70 years old; the government has never looked for a job for me. Today, because there is a progressive government, people expect the government to give them jobs; they do not look for jobs, and that must change.”
[/paywall]
