The jobs bomb has exploded

It is no longer unusual to read about the high levels of unemployment in this country.

We see most young people unemployed, idle and leading miserable lives in our communities. A huge proportion of young Namibians can simply not find employment or earn a living, given the current economic conditions and the lack of a substantive plan to create sustainable jobs. On top of that thousands of young people are joining the job market every day, after dropping out of school; not forgetting that our challenged education system can only absorb a few. The joblessness crisis is prevalent in all 121 constituencies and 14 regions of our republic. It is also safe to say that it is no longer a ticking bomb waiting to explode; it has already exploded. The desperate thirst for employment was highlighted on Tuesday when hundreds of young Namibian jobseekers flocked to TransNamib Ondangwa to apply for 40 posts that had been announced over the radio. There were scenes of pandemonium as the jobless laid siege to the front gate - a clear sign of desperation among the country's 43.4% unemployed young people. Although government can only complement the efforts of the private sector to create jobs by growing the economy, and provide a conducive environment for this to happen, we are perturbed by the fact that there is no single announcement of an employment stimulation package by the powers that be. It is further disconcerting that the billions in loans that are being touted by government will not in any way address the overwhelming desperation of the majority of Namibians who are without a means of earning a living. Government should hang its head in shame, including over the fact that we are not stimulating investor confidence in order to attract funds that will lead to mass job-creation. It is further disturbing that there seems to be no sense of panic when it comes to the unfolding crisis around jobs, as well as the ongoing retrenchments that have hit a multitude of sectors.