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294,000 new earning pathways opened for young South Africans in three months
For millions of young South Africans, the word “opportunity” can feel distant. Unemployment continues to cast a long shadow across the country, especially for those under 35. This week, however, government officials shared figures that suggest steady movement in the right direction.
The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, known as PYEI, has created more than 294 000 new earning opportunities in the third quarter of 2025 alone. The update was delivered by Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, during a Quarter 3 results briefing held at Edunova in Langa, Cape Town.
Youth unemployment framed as a justice issue
Addressing the media, Mhlauli made it clear that youth unemployment is more than an economic statistic. She described it as a matter of justice, with deep social and developmental consequences.
That framing resonates in communities across South Africa, where young graduates and school leavers often wait months, sometimes years, for their first formal job. The crisis is not new, but the urgency remains high.
Millions registered, numbers climbing
By the end of Quarter 3, more than 5.77 million young people had registered on the SA Youth platform. Over 4.8 million were registered on the Employment Services of South Africa system, widely known as ESSA.
Since its launch, the PYEI has facilitated access to more than 2.36 million earning opportunities. A further 402 515 opportunities were created through ESSA. The latest quarter alone saw an increase of more than 294 000 new opportunities.
Notably, more than 70 percent of the opportunities accessed through SA Youth have been taken up by young women. In a country where gender inequality continues to shape economic access, that statistic has drawn positive attention online, with many praising the focus on empowering young women.
What happened between October and December 2025?
Between October and December 2025, the National Pathway Management Network secured 294 530 earning opportunities.
More than 11 000 young people gained workplace experience through partnerships with private sector companies and higher education institutions. Over 6 700 enterprise opportunities supported youth entrepreneurship.
The Revitalised National Youth Service has placed 132 784 young people in paid service roles to date. According to Mhlauli, this reflects growth not only in scale but also in the diversity and sustainability of opportunities being created.
Jobs Boost and funding that follows results
One of the quarter’s key milestones was progress in the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund. More than 9 170 young people enrolled in the programme, exceeding targets. Over 7 200 were placed into jobs.
More than R220 million has been disbursed based on verified employment outcomes. The government says this results-based model ensures funding is tied to actual job placements rather than activity alone.
The Innovation Fund has also supported new earning pathways in sectors such as digital skills, property, and health services, areas seen as critical for future economic growth.
Digital microenterprises in townships
A highlight of the briefing was the ComUnity Digital Enablers Initiative. This partnership between Edunova, Afrika Tikkun, and Capacitate trains young people, particularly women, as Community Digital Angels.
Through a micro franchise model, participants build digital micro enterprises in their own communities. The aim is not just job creation but local economic development and digital inclusion.
In townships where connectivity is improving but digital skills gaps remain, initiatives like this are seen as practical bridges between policy and lived reality.
A push to register
Mhlauli urged young people to sign up on SAYouth.mobi, which is zero-rated on major mobile networks. That means no data is required to access the platform. Through it, young people can find earning and learning opportunities, workplace experience placements, enterprise support, and job readiness guidance.
The message from the government is clear. Progress is being made, but the work is far from finished. For many young South Africans, the hope is that these numbers translate into something tangible: a payslip, a skill, a stepping stone.
If the latest quarter is any indication, the PYEI is steadily expanding the pathways to earning. Whether it can shift the broader unemployment crisis remains to be seen, but for 294 000 young people in the past three months, opportunity moved a little closer.
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: Central News South Africa
