The residents of Kimberley in Northern Cape are grappling with a rising unemployment rate that has hit the community hard.
According to recent statistics, the unemployment rate in the province has increased from 28% in the first quarter to 32% in the second quarter of the year. This 3.7% rise has caused significant distress among the population, particularly the youth.
Youths in Kimberley have expressed their frustration and disappointment with the current state of job opportunities. Despite several government-led employment programs, many young residents feel left behind.
A resident poignantly shared, “Just thinking about it, it makes me emotional, it’s a lot. We’ve been trying. We’ve been to school and to colleges. We are done with basically certain qualifications, but nothing has been done.”
This sentiment is commonly echoed by many, who feel their hard-earned qualifications have not translated into meaningful employment.
The provincial government has implemented various interventions aimed at reducing unemployment, but residents are sceptical about their effectiveness. The same resident lamented, “Sometimes I feel poor because I am the only child that can lift the situation at home.
“So my parents look up to me, but sometimes it’s very sad for me. I think the government, the intervention that they have been using to eradicate unemployment; it’s clearly not working, because it increases instead of to decrease.” This highlights a critical gap between policy implementation and actual results on the ground.
