Rising unemployment in Mabopane is driving young people toward drug use, crime, and relationships with older partners as a means of financial coping. The youth report that the unemployment rate continues to increase each year, and the stress of being jobless is pushing some to resort to drugs, criminal activities, and older partners for support.
Even graduates are feeling the impact of this crisis. “We are not coping at all. Relying on the R370 grant is not sustainable because sometimes it gets declined, citing an ‘income source’ even though we receive no money,” said a 27-year-old graduate from Mabopane, who wished to remain anonymous. She added, “We are living a life we never planned. Despite graduating, we find ourselves staying at home with our qualifications.” She explained that printing CVs and paying for transportation are costly, yet they continue to do so, hoping to find employment, only to face disappointment repeatedly.
Community members express concern that many youths who finish high school cannot find work and end up remaining at home. With limited opportunities available, some turn to drugs to cope with their stress and feelings of hopelessness.
Parents are worried about raising their children, uncertain of what the future holds. “It is depressing to see a child finish school only to remain at home,” lamented another resident. Additionally, residents report that the lack of job opportunities has led some young people to date older partners to meet their basic needs and keep up with the rising cost of living. The pressures of poverty, alongside the need to afford essentials like clothing, data, and food, are prompting desperate decisions.
The situation feels increasingly out of control, prompting calls for urgent interventions to create job opportunities and support programs for unemployed youth in the area. Residents note that it is no longer surprising to see someone unable to find a job; it has become the norm, and they are learning to live with it.
Interviewed youths expressed a singular desire to work. They did not pursue their studies and aim to send their children to school just to remain idle at home. They wish the government would prioritise creating job opportunities, as that is the only solution that will truly help them, rather than the empty promises they have come to expect.
