Some young people at Promosa Township, near Potchefstroom, in the North West say they rely on odd jobs to make ends meet.

This comes as the country battles with very high youth unemployment. National Youth Day will be commemorated on Monday in Potchefstroom.

Some young people are appealing to government to redouble their efforts to empower them with jobs. According to the latest Statistics SA report the unemployment rate amongst the youth stands at 46.1%.

A young South African, Itumeleng Meyer, says he survives by receiving tips from local drivers for patching potholes.

“We patch the roads because we come from poor backgrounds, so we don’t want to resort to crime in the township. So, we are here to patch roads with mud in Promosa just to put food on the table.”

Some youngsters fear for the future as their peers resort to substance abuse and crime.

‘They see what happens to our youth on a daily basis, especially when you look at our prisons, it’s mostly youth. So, you can’t tell me you don’t see what effect is on them. We have to invest in our youth. So, what’s going to happen to South Africa if all the kids are on drugs? Where are the programmes? What’s going to happen to us? The government has failed us,” adds Meyer.