Abstract:
From the music composers, the film producers and the sketch artists to the nail technicians and hairdressers, the creative industry can economically emancipate the youth of Africa.
Employment is a valuable mechanism that enables people to live. It supports one’s livelihood. However, the lack of availability thereof, proves to put society in an uncomfortable position.
The unemployment rate experienced in Africa is very high. Research provides that about 29% of the people in SA and around 18% of people in Botswana are unemployed. With the youth being the most vulnerable.
Various programs have been introduced by different administrations over time to address youth unemployment which has been an issue of significant public concern all around.
It would prove that more and more Africans are joining a depressed job market. This is due to the perception that only certain careers can fund a livelihood.
There are jobs available in financial services, power, real estate, hospitality and healthcare and so forth, but these are not necessarily helpful or functional for everyone. Not all youth is academically suited for certain careers, and because of the marginalized education system, people are all heading to the same jobs. This leads to a limited intake into the workforce.
There are hardly enough jobs in the creative industry. African State Parties provide a small portion of their national budget into the industry. The SA government in particular devoted R4.5-billion of its National budget to the Department of Arts and culture for 2018/19, which contributes to the promotion of arts, culture and development and heritage preservation among others. However, much of the SA budget is devoted to Education which includes arts education.
For the potential impact it could have on development, the creative industry deserves more recognition. It is a “Can do” type of field with a large portion of it being informal and at times, people in the industry work for little-to-no income.
State Parties are not injecting enough money into the industry itself for its growth and manifestation. Most of the creative industry is funded by the private sector and thus is difficult to penetrate by the young people living in townships and informal settlements.
Governments will have to play a critical role in finding solutions to the issue of youth unemployment and with the prevalence of a high unemployment rate in South Africa, the creative industry can produce ways in which these challenges can be eradicated.
