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Youth unemployment in South Africa will be a focal point of discussion during the country’s Youth Month. Statistics South Africa reported in the first quarter of 2024 that South Africa has the highest youth unemployment rate in the world, at 45.5% for people aged 15 to 34, and this intolerable rate has been rising. On the sidelines, though, there was also talk about the state of the country’s youth. How are those young people who are lucky enough to enter the workforce faring? How are they faring? How do they feel about South Africa and their future here?
From the stories of those who have achieved higher education, were lucky enough to embark on a career path, joined the consuming class and become taxpayers, we can glimpse the country South Africa could become if we could expand and increase opportunities so that all young people can fulfil their potential and become productive and contributing citizens.
BrandMapp’s Director of Storytelling, Brandon De Kock, said: “BrandMapp focuses on approximately 13 million South African adults aged 18 and over with a monthly household income of at least R10,000, of which we estimate approximately 5 million are aged between 18 and 35. This is the country’s well-educated youth market segment, with 51% having completed a tertiary qualification and 68% stating that they intend to continue studying. Unlike many of their peers in lower income groups, they have choices in how they want to live their lives and realise their ambitions. Specifically, demographically these young, upper-middle income BrandMapp respondents under 35 perfectly represent the demographic realities of South Africa in 2024, with 80% being black adults, 10% white, 7% coloured and 3% Indian/Asian.”
Slide 3 – Vision
BrandMapp tells the story of middle- and upper-income youth by comparing their views and habits to those aged 35+ in the same income bracket. When asked what they hope to do in the year ahead, the younger generation is on a very different life path to the older generation. 23% are looking forward to graduating this year, 40% are looking to buy or upgrade their car, and 46% are very keen to find a new or better job. But De Kock says: “What I like is that 39% said they want to start a business this year. Some people think that young people in South Africa are not actually entrepreneurial, but the data here shows otherwise. It either means that we have completely screwed up and not given them any confidence in the economy, or that we have misjudged them because their entrepreneurial spirit is clearly strong. Whatever their trigger is, the cause is worth celebrating, even if only a small percentage of them actually make it. Can you imagine what South Africa would be like if more young people had the same benefits of education as this group of young people? Innovation, new business development and economic activity would soar.”
Slide 7 – Immigration
However, in answering this question, a frustrating situation arises: How likely is it that you will emigrate to South Africa (i.e. move to another country to live) in the next five years? 50% of well-educated young people with upper-middle incomes said emigration was “very likely” or “likely” for them. “Even if this is mostly idealistic and not practical, it is clearly a huge worry,” said De Kock. “We have to take into account that these digital natives are online; their world is smaller and more connected, and they can easily and clearly see that with their education level, they would be better off living and working in other countries with stronger currencies and economies. These data tell me that 50% of people think the grass is greener overseas, which is a fundamental indictment of our country.”
Slide 8 – LGBTQ Sensitivity
3% of people aged over 35 identify as LGBTQ+, which is in line with the global average of around 4%, but when we look at younger people, 8% identify as LGBTQ, so there is a significant increase in the proportion of young people when it comes to sexual orientation and gender fluidity. De Kock said: “I think the next two columns tell a story of a major and right generational shift in thinking, which is interesting, especially for marketers. 41% of young people do not identify as LGBTQ+, but they support the group, while only about a quarter of people aged over 35 say the same. This means that if you or your brand crosses the line and makes a cheesy joke about sexual orientation or gender, you won’t cause too much anger among the over 35s, but you will offend or annoy half of the economically active young people market.”
Slide 10 – Financial Security
Keep in mind that younger BrandMapp respondents are not part of the country’s struggling unemployed youth group, so they are more optimistic about their financial security. In response to a question about how their financial situation is currently, 51% said they are better or much better than they were two years ago, with only 33% saying they are worse off. “What we see here is that more than half are doing better, getting higher paying jobs, and probably getting better at managing their finances as well,” De Kock said. “Because they are young people, it’s no surprise that a large proportion of them are accelerating. If we include the 16% who say their financial situation is about the same, then 67% of people under 35 living in South African tax-paying households feel at least as well off as they will be in 2022, or better. So, they are actually doing pretty well; they are educated, they have jobs, they are moving up the ladder of life. If you are not in the group of unemployed youth, you have reason to feel hopeful. This only underscores that if we want the world to be a better place, if we want South Africa to be a better country and a hopeful place to live, then we have to find ways to get unemployed youth into higher education and training, and into jobs, so that they can start their journey in life as well. Once they have those basic opportunities, life becomes an adventure rather than some kind of challenge to be solved.”
The fundamental changes among young people in South Africa
BrandMapp’s data weaves a story of young people in the modern world, in stark contrast to the experiences of older generations. Almost half of young people under 35 in 47% of middle- and upper-income households do not own a car. “This may not have changed for generations,” said De Kock. “But the difference is that young people today have more options, such as carpooling, we measured that 39% of young people often use Uber and 38% often use Bolt. This is a far cry from the world of hitchhiking and asking parents for rides that previous generations had to deal with!”
Young people have also benefited from the takeaway era, with half of them regularly ordering takeaways to be delivered to their homes through services such as MRD and Uber Eats. 25% of young people under 35 years old said they eat fast food twice or more a week, most people order takeaways a few times a month, and only 2% do not eat fast food at all. 50% of young people in the middle market also enjoy the convenience of modern life, ordering takeaways to be delivered to their homes at least once a month.
De Kock concluded: “There is no doubt that young people in South Africa, like everyone else, will be in for a turbulent journey over the next decade, but at least we have been able to identify a large pool of highly skilled, educated and ambitious young people who are willing and able to lead the way. They really can have a hand in shaping their own future, and all the rest of us need to do is give them half the chance.”
BrandMapp 2023 insights are available now directly from the BrandMapp team at WhyFive Insights and by subscription through Telmar, Softcopy, Nielsen and Eighty20. For data access, please email az.oc.evifyhw@enna-eiluJ.
access www.Whyfive.co.za Get an overview of what the new data contains.
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