Is full employment a dream?

 To hire people in large numbers is achievable through sound economic policies. By addressing the mismatch between what our universities produce and what our economy demands can go a long way. In a country like South Africa were serious industrialisation needs to happen there is no need to have malls every 10 kilometre but factories, technical colleges and any entities that can provide skill to our Labour abundant country..For Statistics South Africa(StatsSA) to constantly remind us that our government  is proud to achieve 30% unemployment rate and 50% when expanded must be embarrassing to the state and the private sector. It is for such reason, I plan to look at full employment in south Africa. 

By full employment we mean all who fall within the 30% unemployed figure are employed since these are the individuals who are actively seeking for employment. This does not mean there would not be unemployment. Since there are those who have given up on looking but are available to work. Full employment can be a targeted figure in any economic policy. For example, the National Development Plan(NDP) had dreamed of 15% unemployment rate by 2020. So this talk of full employment simply means those in the ages of 15 to 65 that are willing and able to work must be fully utilised. There are many obstacles to these due to vested interestes in our economy. 

Our reality is that without political will full employment cannot be achieved. In some well runned governments small medium and micro enterprises (SMME's) are seen as back bones to address unemployment. Things such as access to credit, markets and networks are made easier for SMME's. So by not funding SMME's  as we have seen through our failure of our government during the lockdown we are doomed. The minister in charge of business must ensure that he/she is in touch with the countries entrepreneurs. What's the current economic research on small businesses to address unemployment. A well coordinated plan must easily surface and not allow third parties  who may not have the same objective as the state to do government work. The is no need for our current failure, business have long been complaining, the powers that  be know the issues. It's time we address them. 

Ways in which full employment can be achieved are many. The state can regulate through its many institutions that barriers to entry in most monopolistic markets must be removed. The state can ensure that its institutions that are in charge in addressing youth challenges are run properly so as to support young people's ideas. The state can start a beneficial relations between the private sector that incentives the private sector to hire as much as it can in exchange for negotiable company taxes during certain periods of times in the business cycle. All state owned Enterprise( SOE) can be forced to fill in each and every position available in all enterprises. Rural to urban migration can be fought by addressing rural economic problems. The message is clear now, it will take political will to achieve full employment. From where I stand the state is not interested in solving our day to day issues. 

To  solve full employment, you need sound economic policy. Increased funding of SMME'S. Well functioning state owned enterprises. A positive  beneficial relationship between the state and the private sector. Basically a willing government that has the masses interest at heart.