Sobantu residents march over jobs as unemployment anger grows

At the centre of the protest are young people who say they have invested in education and skills development, but remain excluded.

1 hour ago

Chris Ndaliso 2 minutes read

A volunteer pours milk to make tea for displaced foreign nationals, who have taken refuge in a park in Durban yesterday, after fleeing their homes amid fears of xenophobic attacks. Hundreds of foreign nationals await repatriation to Malawi from South Africa following xenophobic violence in the country. Foreign nationals have told of intimidation and beatings by mobs going door-to-door to tell them to leave by June 30, a ‘deadline’ regularly broadcast across social media, even though it has no official backing. Ghana, Mozambique and Malawi are among countries that have repatriated hundreds of their nationals this month. Photo: RAJESH JANTILAL

Frustration over youth unemployment boiled over yesterday morning when about 100 protestors from Sobantu marched to a local company demanding access to jobs.

The group picketed outside Central Waste on Ohrtmann Road, accusing some businesses in the area of overlooking local job seekers while employing foreign nationals, often at lower wages.

ALSO READ | Rising EFF leader vows to tackle unemployment in uMshwathi

The protest comes amid growing anti-illegal immigration demonstrations in various parts of the country.

At the centre of the protest are young people who say they have invested in education and skills development, but remain excluded from the formal economy.

Among them was 26-year-old Sinothando Zondi, a chemical engineering graduate from Amajuba College in Newcastle.

Zondi completed her studies in 2022 but has been unable to secure employment in her field.

In an effort to improve her prospects, she later completed a Grade C security training course.

However, she said those efforts also failed to lead to employment.

ALSO READ | Zuma links youth unemployment to crime during passover gathering

“I tried my best but nothing came of my efforts,” said Zondi.

I was hoping the security qualification would help me find work to support my mother, but I am still unemployed.

Zondi said she now lives in a shack in the Jika Joe informal settlement and relies on her mother for financial support despite holding post-school qualifications.

Other residents echoed similar frustrations, arguing that persistent unemployment among young people contributes to social problems such as substance abuse, crime and prostitution.

Resident Ntombi Mkhize said many unemployed youth feel abandoned, despite living near industrial areas that provide few opportunities for local communities.

ALSO READ | Innovation and Digital Hub aims to tackle youth unemployment

Private security personnel monitored Wednesday’s protest, although no incidents of violence were reported.

Central Waste partner Kelvin Lloyds-Ellis said he understood the frustrations of unemployed youth, particularly those who had obtained qualifications but remained without work.

He denied allegations that his company employed large numbers of foreign nationals, stating that only two foreign nationals worked at the business and that both had been employed there for more than a decade.

Lloyds-Ellis acknowledged that some employers may exploit vulnerable workers by paying low wages but said his company was facing its own economic challenges.

ALSO READ | KZN sheds 41 000 jobs as unemployment crisis tightens grip