University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance’s Professor William Gumede has told the 614 ActionSA delegates gathered at the party’s policy conference to propose a youth jobs pledge ahead of 2024 elections.

Gumede, who is also executive chairperson of the Democracy Works Foundation, said the pledge was not unique as a former economist made a similar proposal in 1995 that organised business pledge together to create one-million jobs, which was sadly rejected.

Gumede believes that such a proposal should be revisited as the youth vote is important.

“If you are going to win, as you are going to win, you are going to [have] to make inroads with the youth vote,” he said.

He stressed the importance of “giving the youth something” as had been done in many countries, including Brazil and European countries, including Scandanavian countries.

Gumede said as people were in dire poverty, a social grant that could be linked to education obligations was also an important tool, as had been achieved in Brazil.

He told the delegation to use a grant to industrialise the country and to give people skills.

He also urged ActionSA to create a slogan that would immediately resonate with people.

Rule of law is another important policy as “you can’t have a prosperous economy without the rule of law in the country. It is not possible.”

He stressed that ActionSA must look at problem in terms of how it could be used to empower young people and as an opportunity to create jobs.  

He told delegates that ActionSA had a big responsibility ahead of the elections.

“Campaigning and policy in South Africa are not intellectual. We are not an intellectual society. Our society is a grassroots type of society so policies will have to speak to the hearts and minds of the people at the grassroots and as a party you have to be at a grassroot level. You can’t be in the newspapers. You have to be a movement-type party rooted in the communities,” said Gumede.

He said for ActionSA to show that it was a caring party, it had to be first responder in community disasters, to comfort people.

Gumede added that between now and the elections, ActionSA would have to operate as if it was in government.