Johannesburg: The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Nomalungelo Gina, has urged the private sector to open its doors wider to young graduates in South Africa by creating more internship opportunities. The Deputy Minister described youth unemployment as a national emergency.
According to South African Government News Agency, Gina was speaking at a gala dinner hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in Johannesburg on Tuesday, marking 20 years of an impactful graduate internship programme and celebrating 131 graduates who have just completed their two-year training at various institutions across the country. She highlighted the 45.5% official youth unemployment rate and 62.1% under the expanded definition of youth unemployment, warning that South Africa is ‘sitting on a ticking time bomb’ if bold action is not taken.
‘We need every employer in the private sector, municipalities, and state-owned enterprises to double their absorption of young graduates each year. The future of our country depends on it,’ she said. Since its establishment in 2005, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI) Graduate Internship Programme, implemented by the HSRC, has offered valuable workplace experience and research skills to over 7,600 unemployed graduates. This programme focuses on fields such as science, engineering, technology, humanities, and social sciences.
In terms of demographics, 91% of interns placed were black, including African, Coloured, and Indian, while 68% were female and 2% were persons with disabilities. To date, more than 200 institutions have hosted interns, contributing meaningfully to skills development across the country. These institutions include science councils, national facilities, museums, government agencies, private companies, and higher education institutions.
The Deputy Minister said the initiative has become one of the most impactful interventions in tackling graduate unemployment and developing skills for the economy. ‘These interventions are not only producing a skilled workforce for science, technology, and the social sciences, they are nurturing future entrepreneurs who will innovate, commercialise new ideas, and become employers themselves,’ she said.
Tuesday’s event featured past and present beneficiaries, including Dr. Mutshidzi Mulondo, an award-winning Global Health academic instrumental in establishing the first Division of Public Health at the University of Pretoria. ‘Because of the internship I received through this programme, I stand here today as a top scholar recognised globally,’ said Mulondo.
Among the 131 graduates celebrated last night, Okuhle Ngqoboka, who was hosted by the Durban University of Technology in 2023, described her journey as ‘exciting and insightful’, paying tribute to her mentor, Dr. Bloodless Dzwairo, for recognising her hard work. ‘I am now employed on contract as a Grants Assistant. I not only gained valuable work experience but was also motivated to register for my honours degree and continue my studies,’ she said.
Gina applauded the HSRC for running the programme ‘in a professional and structured way,’ adding that its impact ‘will be felt across the National System of Innovation and the broader economy for years to come.’ She also encouraged graduates to remain proactive. ‘You are no longer graduates without experience. Use your networks, stay visible, and show initiative. As the African proverb says, the earliest bird catches the fattest worm.’
HSRC Chief Executive Officer, Professor Sarah Mosoetsa, said the two decades of learning and training are a true testament to transformation at the HSRC, paying tribute to all partners who have supported the programme over the years.