EFF Targets Youth Jobless Crisis

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Sihle Lonzi used Wednesday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate to slam government’s approach to youth unemployment, accusing leaders of blaming young people for a jobs crisis that is structural and deepening.

In a passionate address in Parliament, Lonzi rejected what he called an attitude that suggests the youth are “lazy” or not trying hard enough to find work. He argued that the central problem is not a lack of effort by jobseekers, but a lack of jobs and a lack of urgency from the state.

Lonzi told MPs the EFF would mobilise unemployed young people to physically deliver CVs to key state institutions — including the Union Buildings, Parliament and other government offices — as a visible reminder of the scale of joblessness. The party has framed the action as a protest against what it views as political “lip service” on employment, and a call for immediate, practical interventions.

The MP also took aim at the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, which government frequently highlights as part of its response to youth unemployment. Lonzi labelled it a “scam”, claiming the programme places young people in short-term roles without meaningful job security and, in some cases, without reliable payment. He pointed specifically to young people placed as education assistants and said some had allegedly not been paid since last year.

Beyond criticising existing initiatives, Lonzi called for an economic shift that tackles unemployment at its roots. He argued that South Africa needs faster economic growth and a renewed focus on industrialisation, including bringing factories back to create sustainable employment at scale.

His comments come at a time when youth unemployment remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges, with growing frustration among jobseekers who say they are applying repeatedly without success. Lonzi’s speech, and the EFF’s planned CV handovers, signal that the party intends to keep the issue in the public eye — and to pressure government to treat it as a national emergency.