Chairperson, the unemployment crisis in our country is undoubtedly our biggest challenge and it requires all social actors to do their part to contribute to its reduction. It is a socio-economic epidemic, it is deeply entrenched and it has multiple corrosive effects on many fronts and at many levels. This unemployment crisis erodes the human dignity of millions, it widens inequality and it keeps opportunities and substantive freedom out of reach for the most vulnerable.
Our unemployment crisis means that the flame of hope and ambition for many young people is quickly snuffed out as they join the ranks of the jobless, either as they leave school or, if they are fortunate to pursue higher education, when they finish further education or training. I remember during my last year of tertiary study being painfully aware of the problem of graduate unemployment and gripped with constant anxiety about whether or not I would be able to find a job or internship the following year to start a career path.
This is a worry that weighs heavily on the hearts and minds of each cohort of school leavers and graduates as they join the labour market. Sadly, given the concentration of unemployment in the youth bracket, this worry becomes hopelessness, frustration and despair for many of these school leavers and graduates as they remain stuck in joblessness, with seemingly no way forward or a way out.
That is why as the DA we are clear that the Number One item on the agenda must be job-creating economic growth. This means we must create an enabling environment for investment and entrepreneurship. Small businesses must be the key drivers in this endeavour because they often provide the best opportunities for entry-level internships and job opportunities, along with skills development and on-the-job training.
As the DA, we are clear and resolute in our commitment to be champions for small business and entrepreneurs and to be a voice for the jobless and the hopeless. We will fight for solutions in the small business environment to improve access to capital, access to markets and supply chains, and the ease of doing business in order to expand freedom, fairness and opportunity for all.