ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has called for the immediate removal of experience requirements for entry-level jobs, arguing that young South Africans should be allowed to gain experience while working, not before being hired.
Mbalula made the remarks while addressing the youth of Madibeng in the North West on Thursday, as part of the ANC’s 114th anniversary celebrations. He criticised employers who demand years of experience for junior positions, saying such practices unfairly exclude qualified graduates.
“Young people must go to school and get educated,” Mbalula said.
“But when they finish their education and seek work, they are told about experience. I am saying young people must work; they will get experience at work. This practice of blocking young people because of experience must come to an end!”
He went further, singling out local government institutions for their hiring practices.
“When you look for work at the Madibeng municipality, and they ask you for experience, tell them to come to me,” Mbalula said. “Let people gain experience on the job.”
His comments reflect a deepening crisis in South Africa’s labour market, where thousands of graduates remain unemployed despite holding degrees and diplomas. The so-called “experience gap” has become one of the biggest barriers to employment, forcing many young people to protest publicly or remain jobless for years after completing their studies.
South Africa’s official unemployment rate currently stands at 31.9%, with youth unemployment significantly higher.
Mbalula also spoke out against age discrimination, arguing that job seekers over the age of 35 should not be excluded from employment opportunities. He warned against nepotism in municipal hiring processes.
“When our economy allows us to create more jobs, both the youth and those above 35 must be given opportunities,” he said.
“They must not hire their friends and girlfriends. People must be given jobs equally.”
The ANC has faced growing criticism over its handling of unemployment. Recently, national chairperson Gwede Mantashe sparked backlash after suggesting that some unemployed people were too dependent on the state, accusing them of “basking in the sun” while waiting for government assistance.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged the severity of the crisis, saying unemployment is an issue that “keeps him awake at night.”
“The issue of unemployment keeps all of us here on the stage awake. It especially keeps me awake at night in terms of trying to find solutions,” Ramaphosa said.
“[We need] to mobilise more money so that we can create jobs for the young people of our country, and work with the private sector.”
Mbalula’s call adds fresh pressure on both government and the private sector to rethink hiring practices that continue to lock millions of South Africans out of the economy.
