​The youth of South Africa continue to have social issues that are deeply concerning; among these issues is the high rate of youth unemployment, which continues to stand out. This is a result of a growing population in the country, which is not matched by an increase in economic growth. As a result, there are a number of youth with great potential who feel left out, especially those residing in poor areas such as informal settlements and hostels.
Some of the issues facing youth, including not furthering their studies and high unemployment, are due to a lack of information and access to services. This prompted the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, to prioritize the improvement of living conditions in townships, informal settlements, and hostels.

Last week, 29 February 2024, during the government service blitz at Boiketlong informal settlement near Sebokeng, The Weekly Bulletin spoke to a 20-year-old Ntombi Mbongo, who stays in the area and recently passed her matriculation with a diploma. But she could not go to university to further her studies because the colleges she applied to had bachelor's requirements for admission. This led to her staying home without any hope for the future.

“Being at home and doing nothing when you have matriculation is painful; it's like you do not have any qualifications. That is why I came here to look for opportunities to do something." She said she saw a message in the community WhatsApp group inviting the community to come to the service blitz, where different government departments would be taking their services directly to the community. “I felt the need to attend the service blitz because I have hopes of getting relevant information from officials on opportunities as someone seeking a job and wanting to further my studies.

Mbongo added that she submitted her curriculum vitae and a job form to the Department of Employment and Labor in order to be listed in their database as an active job seeker. This will increase her chances of finding employment. “Submitting my own application form gives me high hope that my application will be processed and I will end up getting a job as a reward for taking full advantage of the service blitz.

She added that she was happy to find out about NPOs such as the Bokamoso Center, which is one of the many skills centers founded by the Department of Social Development to assist with uplifting communities.