President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged SA youth to join the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), saying they should see it as “a career and a calling.”
Ramaphosa’s call during the Armed Forces Day commemoration in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, on Saturday comes at a critical time when unemployment and youth unemployment figures are soaring high.
“To the young people present here today and watching across the country, I invite you to see the SANDF as a career and as a calling,” Ramaphosa said.
“We need your capabilities in engineering, medicine, technology, strategy and many other disciplines. Join the SANDF for the love of your country. By serving your people, you build your own future, and you contribute to a better nation,” Ramaphosa said.
Armed Forces Day is observed in remembrance of the 619 African men who died when the SS Mendi sank in the English Channel during World War I on February 21, 1917.
“It is recorded that they met their end not with cries of fear, but with a death dance of defiance and unity. The tragedy of SS Mendi reminds us of the importance of unity and solidarity, that despite great peril, those brave soldiers stood together as they faced their fate. Their courage and spirit continue to inspire us today,” Ramaphosa said.
https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-armed-forces-day-21-feb-2026
“Armed Forces Day honours all our soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving the Republic outside our borders and in internal operations. This day is a tribute to the courage of those who wear uniform, and we bow our heads in memory of those who never returned from the horizon,” he said.
Unemployment crisis
In its Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Quarter 4, 2025, released early this month, Statistics SA noted that there were approximately 10.3 million young people aged 15–24 years who were not in employment, education, or training during that quarter.
Stats SA further noted that “the combined rate of unemployment and time-related underemployment (LU2) was recorded at 34,3% and the combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (LU3) stood at 42,1% in the fourth quarter of 2025.”
“Some young people have been disengaged from the labour market, and they are also not building on their skills base through education and training – they are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The NEET rate serves as an important additional labour market indicator for young people,” the survey found.
The survey further revealed that the working-age population grew by 120,000 (0.3%) in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the third quarter.
“During the same period, the number of employed individuals increased by 44 000 to reach 17,1 million, while the number of unemployed persons declined by 172 000 to 7,8 million. Consequently, the labour force decreased by 128 000 (0,5%) between Q3 and Q4 of 2025.
“The formal, informal and household sectors employed 12,3 million, 3,7 million and 1,1 million persons, respectively. Between the third and fourth quarters of 2025, the number of people outside the labour force increased by 248 000 (1,5%).”
“An increase in employment and a decrease in unemployment resulted in a decrease of 0,5 of a percentage point in the unemployment rate to 31,4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. The labour force participation rate decreased by 0,4 of a percentage point to 59,3%, and the absorption rate decreased by 0,1 of a percentage point to 40,6% between Q3: 2025 and Q4: 2025.”
Unions react to survey findings
The SA Federations of Trade Unions said in reaction earlier in the week that the Q4 survey figures “confirm beyond any doubt that South Africa faces a structural economic catastrophe, and that the government’s neoliberal economic policies have dismally failed.”
“The report confirms that the combined unemployment and potential labour force rate stands at 42.1%. This means nearly half of the working-age population is excluded from employment,” Saftu secretary-general Zwelizima Vavi said.
“More than 4.6 million people have been completely pushed out of the labour market, they are discouraged work seekers or marginalised workers who have given up looking for work because there are simply no jobs available. This figure alone exposes the scale of economic collapse,” Vavi said.
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) parliamentary co-ordinator Matthew Parks said the federation welcomed the positive drop in unemployment.
“It is critical that this momentum is maintained and accelerated for Quarter 1 of the new year, where there is normally a decrease in employment as the festive season jobs bump comes to an end. South Africa is long overdue for some good news.
“Whilst welcoming nearly a 1.3% decrease in unemployment over the past quarter, we dare not be complacent. A 41.1% unemployment rate remains a dangerous ticking time bomb that cannot be sustained,” Parks said.
SANDF issues call for applications
The SANDF provides opportunities for individuals to pursue careers in different fields within its ranks and units.
This week, the reality of the unemployment crisis hit home as thousands of hopefuls lined up for hours in the scorching Thohoyandou sun to submit their CVs with the hope of being admitted into the SANDF.
“The South African Defence Force, through its Military Skills Development System (MSDS), is offering young South African citizens an opportunity to serve in uniform on a two-year contract,” the authority announced on its website.
http://www.dmv.gov.za/newsroom/news/m_sds2026.htm
“The Recruits will receive military training and further functional training in their first year of service. During the second year of service, depending on the duration of the functional orientation, they will be deployed where needed and given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and develop their skills.” – news@mukurukuru.co.za
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