Government Promises, Youth Jobs and Your Vote: What You Need to Know

In late September, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a national speech about gender-based violence. He said 13 women were murdered in Ekurhuleni since July. He promised four actions with 60 to 90 day deadlines. These actions include checking unsolved murders and rapes, fixing the forensics backlog, checking streetlights and unsafe routes in every municipality, and cracking down on illegal shebeens and late-night trading. He also said good men must stop being silent. But days before, a suspended deputy police commissioner was charged with rape, human trafficking, and grooming a child. He denies the charges. This shows why trust in police matters for safety at work and in communities.

In other news, the Department of Labour told unemployed young people to try volunteering. The department has the word Employment in its name. Telling people to work for free felt insulting to many. Volunteering can help you learn skills and meet people. But it does not pay bills. Many young people need real jobs with real pay. This is why job seekers must look for paid learnerships, internships, and jobs while also building skills.

Why this matters for your career and your vote

• Local elections are coming. Leaders signed a code of conduct to avoid violence, voter intimidation, and misinformation. Jacob Zuma signed too. Later, the Electoral Court threw out MK's challenge to the 2024 election results.
• Local government decides services like streetlights, water, roads, and safety. These services affect small businesses and jobs.
• First-time voters need to know how local elections work. You vote for a council. The council then picks the mayor.

If you are a job seeker, pay attention. Good local leaders can help create jobs and fix services. Bad services make it harder to work, study, and run a business. Your vote can help decide who manages your area and its job programs.