Chronicle Editor
Marshall Rufura Ndlela
Unemployment is regarded as a social and economic ill as a result of misallocation of economic resources. Economic resources refer to God-given and man-made resources that include land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship.
Several scholars define unemployment as the total amount of the active unused and able labour force. Africa is a blessed continent with abundant land rich in minerals and fertile land for farming. The African population is small, with respect to the land size and its potential.
In addition, Africa boasts of several minerals which are sustainably perfect to solve many world problems such as electricity, health and peace. Botswana is regarded as one the top diamond rich countries with the Democratic Republic of Congo having vast deposits of several precious minerals.
The Ivory Coast and Ghana produce about 60 percent of the world’s cocoa used for the production of chocolates.
Zimbabwe is regarded as a sleeping giant with respect to mining, mineral processing and farming. South Africa is one of the richest African economies blessed with several minerals, a stable and strong manufacturing sector, with Nigeria considered as an African economic giant producing 0,5 percent of the world’s oil.
Zambia is known for its massive deposits of copper and gold while Malawi boasts of one of the biggest lakes in Africa.
However, the challenge facing Africa is of misplaced production possibilities. African countries lack the energy to innovate, create value chains and promote entrepreneurship.
Botswana’s diamonds are being mined and exported to the DeBeers company without being processed into final products.
This deprives Botswana of revenue, and employment. The Botswana mining system prohibits young black entrepreneurs from investing and benefiting from their mother land resources.
Malawi, a former Rhodesian territory which was reserved for farming and fishing, is one of the tiny and beautiful African countries with the potential to supply the world with quality rice, fish and cannabis. It is a fact that Malawi boasts of loyal manpower, which is considered as one of the best in Sadc.
Most Sadc countries were built by the hands of the Malawian labour force. Lake Malawi is one of the cleanest natural lakes that can be used to promote young entrepreneurship through tourism, fishing and recreational businesses.
Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, during his presidential campaign, promised to build a Lake City that would be unique and the best Sadc city to ever exist.
The unemployed youth of Malawi would enjoy the benefits as this would create youth employment but the Lake City is yet to take shape.
President Alassane Outtara of Ivory Coast was viewed as a champion of economic liberation, and a game changer in the Economic Community of West African States. His victory in 2010 inspired a lot of youths in Ivory Coast.
However, it is worrying that after 13 years in power, no significant reforms to enhance the economic efficiency of Ivory Coast have been implemented. A significant number of the youth are still unemployed, and the cocoa farmers are still being exposed to the highest form of chicanery by Western imperial forces and capitalists.
It is sad that the youths of Ivory Coast are faced with exploitation and abuse by cocoa buyers who decide on the price of the cocoa.
Recently, Ghana reduced its supply of unprocessed cocoa and advocated for a production and export of ready-made African chocolates. Such ideas, if converted into reality, are likely to increase the number of chocolate entrepreneurs and therefore reduce youth unemployment.
Angola is one of the oil rich countries in Sadc with about 95 percent oil exports. As a former Frontline state, Angola paid the price of supporting Southern liberation movements.
The counter forces invested in civil war lords, destroyed the infrastructure and promoted economic anarchy. The current economic status quo of Angola relegates black young entrepreneurs and they can’t tap into the oil business. Only a few individuals working in cohorts with big capital companies enjoy the oil mining business.
The youth unemployment rate in Angola is sitting at 56,7 percent. DRC, which could be one of the richest countries in Africa, with almost all resources; oceanic economy, good climate, natural rivers, and discovery of new resources on a daily basis, suffers from imperialist forces who continue to dent the country’s efforts through sponsoring and equipping local militias and rebels.
The chaos caused by the forces misdirects the youth to become war lords and rebels. If Africa can prioritise the security status of DRC and take critical and confrontational measures, the unemployed youth of DRC could divert their energy into productive economic initiatives that will help grow the economy and reduce unemployment.
Zimbabwe has favourable climate for tobacco farming and produces about 26 percent of the world’s tobacco.
Zimbabwe was one of the major economic players in the Sadc region, producing beef, vegetables and cotton among other products for Sadc and Europe.
The imposition of sanctions crippled the country’s economy.
Several companies were closed, jobs were lost and many youths became unemployed. Zimbabwe has one of the best education systems on the continent and produces scores of academics from many European and African universities. Sanctions resulted in companies losing foreign markets and access. Companies closed, others relocated and the youths of Zimbabwe are facing a perennial unemployment problem as a result.
The removal of sanctions will open markets and allow young Zimbabweans to showcase their talents and potential. South Africa, the last country to attain black majority rule in Africa, is a rich, developing and strategic country in Africa.
South Africa is a big economy with various active sectors and good opportunities of empowering and advancing young entrepreneurship initiatives. The country is still healing from the deep wounds of apartheid segregation policies, unequal distribution of income and wealth and a poor education system.
The African National Congress government has modernised their socialist approach to resource allocation; they introduced a revolutionary economic emancipation policy of Black Economic Empowerment meant to give black entrepreneurs a chance to access government contracts as preferred suppliers. The BEE was designed to allow those previously disadvantaged to access capital and allow them to reinvest and do business in the competitive world. However, the policy was abused and resulted in state capture, corruption and formation of cartels.
All these economic ills are of concern. They are pushing many young people in Africa to migrate to Europe, Australia, Middle East and Canada resulting in massive brain drain and loss of potential output. Youths are revolutionary and, if no action is done, the economic bomb shall explode sooner or later.
Marshall Ndlela is a Zimbabwean based in South Africa. He is a holder of a Master’s Degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chichester, England. He can be contacted on [email protected]
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