logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
20m 15s

Jobless, hungry, fed-up: Why South Afric...

Al Jazeera
About this episode

As many as 75% of young South Africans are unemployed. In any other country that would be cause for a revolution according to one South African economist. Why did rioting and looting sweep the country last week? And could violence erupt again? This week The Take explores the vast inequality and economic hardships behind South Africa’s latest unrest.

In this episode: 

  • Bonginkosi Mchunu, 24 year old resident of Gretown Township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Influencer for Youth Capital South Africa and Corporate Specialist 
  • Duma Gqubule (@DumaGqubule), South African economist and financial journalist

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Today
Is direct action for Palestine 'terrorism'? The UK says it is
The UK has outlawed Palestine Action, grouping it with ISIL and al-Qaeda. Supporters of the group now risk up to 14 years in prison, and arrests of protesters opposed to the listing have already begun. What does the decision reveal about the UK’s approach to protest and civil dis ... Show More
20m 40s
Yesterday
What would happen if coral reefs disappeared?
Coral reefs are dying at a record speed, putting a backbone of global food chains at critical risk. More than 80 percent of coral reefs are now hit by mass bleaching. Reefs feed millions, protect coasts and shape economies. What happens when they vanish – and is the world doing e ... Show More
21m 14s
Jul 8
Netanyahu meets Trump: could a Gaza ceasefire deal emerge?
Could Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third trip to the United States during President Donald Trump's administration mean a ceasefire in Gaza is close at hand? As Netanyahu lands in Washington, DC, for a week of discussions on topics such as Gaza and Iran, what pressu ... Show More
21m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
Why is unemployment so high in South Africa?
South Africa’s unemployment rate has hit a record high: it’s now 34.4%, which means about 7.8 million people are currently without a job. Young South Africans - especially young graduates - have been hit the hardest. So, how did things get so out of hand? And is the pandemic sole ... Show More
12m 13s
Feb 2024
Why can't young people in South Africa find work?
South Africa has the most industrialised and diverse economy in Africa. Yet it faces a major youth unemployment crisis with around four in ten young people jobless. Young people are becoming disenchanted and disenfranchised, which could impact elections later this year. Polls sho ... Show More
11m 2s
Apr 2022
Can South Africa’s economy recover from Covid-19?
Many countries in Africa have ended restrictions and lockdown measures put in place during the height of the pandemic. In South Africa, which had the highest number of Covid-19 cases on the continent, this is a welcoming move for many industries; especially the hospitality sector ... Show More
13m 31s
Aug 2023
Why is South Africa collapsing?
South Africa once had the most abundant and cheap electricity on the continent. Now, it is experiencing power blackouts. It’s called loadshedding, the process by which the power company Eskom occasionally reduces the demand for electricity on the national grid.For many South Afri ... Show More
23m 45s
Sep 2021
Is South African tourism due a transformation?
Millions of people visit South Africa each year to enjoy safari’s, culture and nightlife. The tourism industry has been hit hard by Covid-19, but there are other issues it has been struggling with for longer. More than 25 years since the end of apartheid, the sector remains large ... Show More
15m 28s
Feb 2022
Why is #PutSouthAfricanFirst trending in South Africa?
“Put South Africa First” started as a movement of organisations who were against illegal immigration. It has since grown. The hashtag #PutSouthAfricanFirst has been trending in South Africa every day for months. There have also been marches, protests, social media campaigns in su ... Show More
15m 6s
Jul 2021
Loot cause: South Africa’s unrest
Widespread looting and the worst violence since apartheid continue, exposing ethnic divisions and the persistent influence of Jacob Zuma, a former president. How to quell the tensions? As some countries administer third covid-19 “booster shots” we ask about the epidemiological an ... Show More
22m 1s
Jul 2022
Do young South Africans still believe in Nelson Mandela’s legacy?
Africa Daily is on the road in Africa… first stop: South Africa. And Alan has arrived just in time for Mandela day – a celebration of the former president’s birth. When Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994, he was a hero in his own c ... Show More
19m 11s
May 2024
South African elections: Why Nelson Mandela's party could lose its dominance
It's been 30 years since Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress (ANC) to power, ending apartheid in South Africa.       But as voters head to the polls, the party is on the verge of losing dominance, after coming under fire over corruption, high levels of crime and econ ... Show More
20m 56s