By: Thabang Rammutla
Youth unemployment has always been an issue in South Africa, and now that there is COVID-19 in the picture, corporate companies are retrenching because the pandemic has caused a slow healing wound on the economy.
The rise in retrenchments is somehow demotivating when one must search and apply for new available vacancies on the internet. However, despite this being a misery to the other segment of the youth it is also provocative to the other to think from outside the box.
An aspiring entrepreneur, William Bene from Etwatwa in Ekurhuleni has started his own food delivery services business, Bokamoso logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown stronger within the township. Bokamoso logistics was established to fight youth unemployment and Bene actively participated ‘in the youth solving youth issues’ group in Etwatwa last year (2019).
Bene, then got a job as painter, an opportunity he got because of his skills set, and he later registered his business due to the health risks involved in the pandemic.
“With this COVID-19 I found an opportunity of opening a business and it’s booming now and I didn’t even imagine, God is good.” Bene Said.
However, life doesn’t always go as planned. William has faced some obstacles and took his losses on his journey but above all he had a vision that kept him going through it all and eventually achieved it.
“I didn’t want to make excuses in my life, and I’m responsible for whatever decision I make and remember in South Africa we have rights, and we also have responsibilities so now we have to be responsible for our actions.” Bene concluded.
Young people who are willing to uplift their communities by whatever means necessary like William, are the potential keys to the youth that feel trapped in the townships not knowing what to do with their lives.
Such young people must be acknowledged for finding creative ways of innovating streams of income not only for themselves but also for their peers who are willing to be commanded by their captain in the ship.
Comments