The devastating impact of unemployment on the mental health of SA’s young people

On 16 June 1976, young South Africans fought for a future
where their potential would not be suppressed. Today,
our young people are fighting a different kind of battle —
one for their potential, their dignity and their right to hope.
(Photo: Jan Hamman\Media24 Archives)

The journey from hopeful graduate or ambitious school-leaver to disappointed jobseeker is often brutal and relentless. It’s not just about financial hardship; it is a destruction of identity, the loss of potential, and a direct assault on mental health.

As South Africa commemorates Youth Day on 16 June, our thoughts rightly turn to the brave young people of 1976 who rose against an oppressive system, demanding a future of dignity, opportunity and self-determination. Their courage helped lay the foundation for the democratic country we live in today.

Yet as we reflect on their legacy, a new and equally unjust battle rages, silently wearing down the spirit and potential of a generation: the devastating impact of chronic youth unemployment on mental health.

By Stefani du Toit

Full story at Daily Maverick