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Zuma: Youth unemployment a govt priority

Johannesburg - The government and its social partners are addressing the problem of youth unemployment, President Jacob Zuma said.

"The latest studies showed that almost three quarters, or 72% of South Africa’s unemployed, are younger than 34," he said in a speech prepared for delivery at the International Co-operation Agency TICAD V seminar in Japan on Saturday.

In the next 20 years, South Africa would have more than 14 million young people between the ages of 15 and 29, and this would reach 15.1 million in 2021, he said. The effects of decades of racial exclusion were still evident in both employment levels and income differentials.

"The system of apartheid also created a serious skills deficit in our economy."

Zuma said South Africa was also host to large numbers of young people from Africa.

He said youth unemployment featured "prominently" in the National Development Plan.

"We have developed a number of sectoral strategies especially focusing on skills development to meet these challenges.

"The National Development Plan is our blueprint document that will guide us through this challenging task."

He said Southern African Development Community region ministers responsible for youth matters were meeting in Swaziland to address youth issues, including unemployment.

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