DC youth leaguers call for action
‘MANTŠANG KHUTLISI
MASERU – The Democratic Congress Youth League (DCYL) released a powerful statement addressing what it calls a deepening crisis of youth unemployment in the country on Monday this week.
The statement welcomed a declaration by Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane of a state of disaster on youth unemployment, describing it as a necessary admission that the country is facing a serious threat to the hopes, future and stability of its young population.
While acknowledging the importance of the declaration, the youth league cautions that legal concerns surrounding it must not overshadow the immediate needs of the youth. The league emphasized that any legal irregularities should be swiftly addressed by the government to avoid lengthy court battles that would only delay the implementation of vital solutions.
According to DCYL, youth have already waited long enough for relief, opportunities as well as empowerment. The league further called for decentralization of government services and that delivery should not be concentrated in Maseru alone.
They insisted that young people in districts must be trained and employed to provide services in their own communities, ensuring inclusion and meaningful participation. The league also highlighted the plight of Basotho residing in South Africa, many of who face daily harassment as well as deportation.
It urged the government to step up and issue proper documentation and work-permits to protect their rights as well as livelihoods. Education also features prominently in the DCYL’s concerns.
The league demands the revival of a former National Manpower Development Secretariat’s policy which allowed students to continue with their studies despite owing fees. It stressed that no capable young person should be denied education due to financial hardship.
Beyond education, the DCYL is pushing for extensive job creation across all sectors of the economy, especially in innovation, agriculture, creative industries, digital technology as well as infrastructure development.
The youth leaguers believe that the agricultural sector holds untapped potential, and calls for the creation of value chains and reliable market for local produce, with youth playing a central role in this activities.
In addressing legal frameworks, the DCYL urged the government to ament the disaster management act to explicitly include youth unemployment, recognizing it as a disaster, requiring immediate response.
Furthermore, the league called for legal guarantee that every young person will receive employment, training, or enterprise support within a fixed period after completion of their studied or becoming unemployed.
The DCYL further raised the issue outdated business regulations and recommends amending the trading enterprises (amendment) regulations of 2011 to allow longer trading hours for supermarkets and clothing shops, potentially opening up new economic opportunities for the youth.
The youth expressed strong disappointment over the prime minister’s silence on the youth development bill and the formation of the long awaited national youth council. It stressed that the two initiatives are crucial for meaningful youth governance and empowerment.
Despite young people having shown patience and resilience, the league stated that now is the time for decisive action, transparency and political will.
Strikingly, the DCYL linked the youth unemployment crisis to a national security concern. It warned that the rise in kidnappings as well as killing of innocent children are not isolated incidents but rather symptoms of a generation that feels abandoned.
The press conference concluded with a chilling reminder that the longer the government delays taking real action, the more the nation risks losing its young people to despair, crime and violence.
In its entirety, the DCYL’s statement is a call for urgency, vision and accountability. It paints a sobering picture of a country on the edge but also offers a roadmap for renewal if the government chooses to listen and act.
