Mediamec In a bold call aimed at tackling South Africa’s stubborn youth unemployment crisis, African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has urged employers and policymakers to remove experience requirements for entry-level jobs a move he says would unlock opportunities for countless young people struggling to find work.
Speaking to a community gathering in Madibeng, North West, Mbalula highlighted a growing frustration among young South Africans who graduate with qualifications only to be told they lack the “experience” that many job openings demand. According to him, this creates a catch-22 where young jobseekers are effectively barred from employment before they’ve even started their careers.
“Young people finish their education and seek work only to be told they don’t qualify because they lack experience,” Mbalula explained. “I am saying young people must work they will get experience at work. This thing of blocking young people because of experience must come to an end.”
He described the experience requirement as an unnecessary barrier, one that leaves many qualified graduates from doctors and engineers to teachers and technicians in a frustrating cycle of unsuccessful job applications. Mbalula argues that workplace experience should be earned on the job, not listed as a prerequisite that shuts the door before it’s even opened.
The call comes amid ongoing concerns around national unemployment, particularly among the youth. South Africa’s jobless rate remains high, with young people disproportionately affected and often finding themselves cornered by rigid hiring criteria that favour prior experience.
Critics of the experience requirement argue that it makes entry-level roles virtually inaccessible, forcing jobseekers to search endlessly without ever getting a foot in the door. Many believe that alternative approaches such as offering structured internships, on-the-job training or expanded youth placement programmes could provide young candidates with meaningful opportunities to gain practical skills while contributing to the workforce.
Business groups have pushed back to some extent, noting that certain roles do require specialised skills and that employers must maintain standards. Yet youth and labour advocates counter that experience demands should not blanketly exclude candidates who are eager to learn and ready to contribute.
OkMbalula’s appeal arrives at a politically significant moment, as the ANC marks its 114th anniversary and continues to weigh strategies for addressing the country’s economic hurdles. Whether his push will lead to changes in hiring practices remains to be seen, but the conversation has undeniably drawn attention to one of the systemic barriers facing young jobseekers across South Africa.
