Youth unemployment in South Africa sits at roughly 46 percent heading into the first quarter of 2025, based on Statistics South Africa’s latest figures.
That number hits harder when you consider young people represent such a significant portion of the population.
But there is something happening at the local government level that deserves attention. Several municipalities have rolled out programs that actually seem to be working, creating pathways for young residents to gain skills and find employment.
This year’s Youth Month theme, “Skills for the Changing World—Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation,” reflects what many of these local authorities are already doing on the ground. From digital training centers in urban areas to agricultural schemes in rural communities, the approaches vary widely depending on regional needs and resources.
1. eThekwini Municipality (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal)
Durban expanded its Youth Employment Initiative to include 5,000 paid internships this year, focusing heavily on maritime and tourism sectors. Given that the city hosts one of Africa’s busiest ports, the training in port operations makes practical sense. Participants also receive hospitality management skills, which matter in a city that depends on tourism revenue.
According to program coordinators, about 75 percent of trainees find employment after completing the program. The municipality established community hubs where young people attend workshops and connect with business mentors. Whether this employment rate holds up long-term remains to be seen, but the initial numbers look promising.
2. City of Johannesburg (Gauteng)
The Saint-Gobain YouthBuild Academy in Johannesburg has trained over 500 young people in construction and renewable energy through mid-2025. Located near informal settlements, the academy deliberately targets residents who face significant barriers to employment. The program emphasizes what they call “ethical leadership and ubuntu principles,” though how that translates into daily practice varies.
What stands out is the gender breakdown: women make up 60 percent of enrollees. Many graduates have secured contracts installing solar panels across the city, addressing both the energy crisis and unemployment simultaneously. Still, construction and energy sectors can be unstable, so tracking these graduates over the next few years will reveal whether these jobs provide genuine stability.
3. City of Cape Town (Western Cape)
Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Youth Learnerships enrolled 1,200 participants in 2025, offering certifications in water conservation and climate-resilient engineering. Given the city’s water struggles in recent years, this training addresses immediate municipal needs while building workforce capacity.
The program connects to the Just Energy Transition Skills Desk and uses Coursera for some advanced modules. About 70 percent of participants transition to full-time positions in sustainable urban planning, according to municipal reports. The combination of local hands-on training with international online learning seems to be working, though access to reliable internet remains a challenge for some participants.
4. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (Gauteng)
Ekurhuleni runs an aviation-focused program that places about 800 young people annually in apprenticeships at OR Tambo International Airport. Trainees work in logistics and aircraft maintenance, gaining exposure to an industry that typically requires specialized skills.
The program also incorporates robotics training, which aligns with the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy. Municipal data suggests youth-led startups in the East Rand industrial zone increased by 15 percent, though it is difficult to attribute this rise solely to the apprenticeship program. Other economic factors likely played a role.
5. Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (Free State)
In Bloemfontein, the Agri-Youth Empowerment Scheme trained 900 participants in precision farming and agribusiness this year. The Department of Agriculture supports the initiative, which provides micro-grants for technology-enabled cooperatives. Participants learn to use modern farming equipment and data analysis tools, skills that are increasingly necessary in agriculture.
The program claims to have created 300 seasonal jobs in 2025 and improved local food security. Seasonal work has its limitations, of course, but in agricultural communities, these positions can provide crucial income during harvest periods. Whether these cooperatives remain viable during off-seasons is an ongoing question.
6. Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (Eastern Cape)
Port Elizabeth combines the Basic Education Employment Initiative with coastal entrepreneurship workshops, serving about 600 young people. Trainees gain qualifications in fisheries management and eco-tourism, two industries central to the coastal economy.
Some participants have launched ventures focused on marine conservation while generating income, which the United Nations highlighted as a model worth examining. The challenge with entrepreneurship programs is that starting a business and sustaining one are different things. Early enthusiasm does not always translate into long-term success, particularly in competitive tourism markets.
7. Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Gauteng)
Pretoria established Digital Work Hubs that upskilled 1,100 young residents in coding and cybersecurity through partnerships with private technology companies. By 2025, the municipality reports that 80 percent of graduates connected with ICT firms, addressing the skills gap that the World Economic Forum keeps pointing out in its reports.
Tshwane is positioning itself as a technology corridor, which makes sense given its proximity to universities and research institutions. Whether 80 percent of those connections mean permanent employment or short-term contracts is not entirely clear from available data. The technology sector can be volatile, and job security varies significantly.
8. Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (Eastern Cape)
East London focused on health and wellness, enrolling 700 people in Community Health Worker Learnerships tied to the National Health Insurance rollout. Participants deliver mobile clinic services while earning stipends, which addresses both unemployment and healthcare access in underserved areas.
The municipality reports improved community health metrics, and many participants are entering nursing careers. Healthcare tends to offer more stable employment than some other sectors, though working conditions for community health workers can be demanding, and compensation is not always competitive with private sector options.
9. Msunduzi Local Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal)
Pietermaritzburg launched a Cultural Heritage Youth Program that trained 400 young artisans in traditional crafts alongside modern business skills. The program integrates with the Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy and helps participants market products through e-commerce platforms.
The idea is to preserve Zulu heritage while creating income opportunities. Cultural tourism and craft markets can be lucrative, but they are also saturated in some areas. Success depends heavily on product quality, marketing savvy, and finding the right distribution channels. Not every participant will achieve financial independence, despite the training.
10. JB Marks Local Municipality (North West)
This rural municipality in Potchefstroom hosted the 2025 Youth Day celebrations and used that momentum to expand its National Senior Certificate Second Chance Programme. About 500 young people who had dropped out of school returned to complete their education while also receiving vocational training in mining rehabilitation.
Mining communities face unique challenges as the industry shifts, and rehabilitation work provides an alternative career path. Graduates are now leading local cooperatives, according to municipal reports. The long-term viability of these cooperatives depends on continued funding and market demand for rehabilitation services.
Conclusion
Looking across these ten municipalities, several patterns emerge. Most rely on partnerships between government, private companies, and educational institutions. Many emphasize outcome-based funding, where programs receive resources based on employment results rather than just enrollment numbers. There is also a notable focus on including women and rural youth, demographics that face additional barriers.
The Youth Employment Service has facilitated approximately 100,000 placements countrywide, with local governments adapting the model to fit their contexts. Funding remains inconsistent, and infrastructure limitations affect program delivery, particularly in rural areas. Blended online and offline training helps address some access issues, though digital literacy and connectivity remain hurdles.
These municipal efforts represent one piece of a much larger puzzle. Job creation needs to happen at scale, and programs alone cannot solve structural economic problems. But they do demonstrate that targeted, locally managed initiatives can create opportunities where national programs sometimes fall short.
For young people interested in these programs, the SA Youth platform offers registration information and updates on available opportunities.