Half of Africans, especially educated youth, are considering emigration, according to a report

The author argues that migration is a problem for all nations, not exclusively a crisis for South Africa. He uses the African proverb: 'When the roof leaks in one house, the rain wets the whole village,' to describe migration as a phenomenon affecting all borders, cities, and countries on the continent and globally.

Accusing South Africa of migration difficulties is viewed by the author as an evasion of examining the true causes of migration. The problem faces all governments—from the Mediterranean to the US-Mexico border, from the Persian Gulf to Europe, from Nairobi to Lagos and Johannesburg—regarding entry control, documentation, and the protection of both citizens and arrivals.

South Africa accepts the largest number of migrants in Africa, which is linked to the fact that after 1994, the country opened its doors to the world, creating an economy, constitution, and institutions that, despite flaws, provide shelter, employment, education, and healthcare. For many people, South Africa becomes a destination.

The author calls for an honest examination of why public outcry on this issue is so strong in one place and so quiet in others. In some parts of North Africa, migration routes are accompanied by horrors documented by IOM, the UN, and international media, including the detention of migrants, human trafficking, beatings, and exploitation, as well as mass expulsions of sub-Saharan Africans into the desert without food or water.

In some Persian Gulf countries, African workers face the 'kafala' system, passport confiscation, and conditions similar to modern slavery. The author emphasizes that this does not justify criminal acts and vigilantism in South Africa, noting that the government firmly condemns such actions and law enforcement agencies are working to apprehend those responsible.

The author criticizes the continent's silence on this discussion, pointing out that when South Africans voice legitimate concerns about crime and strain on social services, the continent responds by labeling it 'Afrophobia' or 'Xenophobia'—terms that have become associated only with South Africa. This, according to the author, is an evasion of responsibility.

South Africa cannot single-handedly bear the weight of the continent's push factors. Responsibility lies with all nations of the world, which must create favorable socio-economic conditions at home—providing jobs, security, governance, and opportunities to reduce illegal migration. If prosperity does not develop where people are born, they will endlessly pursue it at borders.

However, the author acknowledges the challenges faced by host countries like South Africa: overcrowded public clinics, schools, and long housing waiting lists, as well as resource depletion for integrating foreigners. South Africa is likely one of the few African countries that assists undocumented migrants by providing them with services in public hospitals, educating their children, and offering legal protection.

South Africans raise legitimate questions about crimes committed by undocumented migrants that are untraceable and put pressure on communities and services. However, when these concerns are voiced, they are quickly labeled 'xenophobic,' whereas similar phenomena in some of their own countries receive different names, such as 'security operations,' 'urban renewal,' or 'illegal aliens.' The author insists that this is not division, but an expression of democracy—the people's demand to their government.

In 2015, the African Union adopted a resolution to hold a continental conference on migration, which has yet to take place, confirming that this is a continental, not a country-specific, problem. The resolution clearly stated that migration must be managed jointly, with dignity and order. This dialogue occurs too infrequently, and countries remain in cycles of mutual accusation. Key obstacles include documentation, border management, data exchange, job creation, and law enforcement, and they cannot be solved by pointing to one country.

Thus, migration is the rain that falls on us all. We must stop arguing about whose roof is leaking and work together to fix it, because migration is not just a South African problem, but a global challenge requiring a global and African response.

A survey conducted by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation (IFF) with 4,901 young people, aged between 18 and 24, covering 16 nations, including Mozambique, reveals that African youth demonstrate a higher degree of optimism regarding the continent's trajectory.

Optimism Trends and Challenges

The report indicates that the proportion of young people with a positive assessment increased from 37% in 2024 to 43% in 2026, characterizing an 'Afro-optimism' that surpassed levels observed before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are notable exceptions to this trend: Kenya and South Africa show a negative outlook, where seven in ten young people believe the continent 'is going in the wrong direction.'

In other countries, optimism is significantly higher, registering 68% in Rwanda, 66% in Somalia, and 60% in Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Economic Priorities and Pressures

Despite this increase in positive sentiment, the study highlights that economic difficulties, notably the rising cost of living, are the main concern, surpassing even deaths from infectious diseases and political instability as the biggest impact event in the last five years.

Looking ahead to the coming years, and for the first time since 2020 that such reports are released, young people define the creation of 'new well-paid jobs' and the reduction of 'government corruption' as priorities.

Changes in Perception of the USA

The research also highlighted a shift in attitude towards the United States of America (USA). In 2024, 42% of young people expected a Joe Biden administration (2021-2025 term) to be more beneficial to their country than a Donald Trump administration (who was in power between 2017-2021 and 2025-present), compared to 23%.

Currently, although there is a declared preference for Biden, about three in five young people (58% to 60%) express considerable optimism that the Trump administration will bring a better future, with this optimism focused on youth empowerment, security operations, and combating terrorism.

Political Analysis and International Relations

Ivor Ichikowitz, founder and commissioner of the African Youth Survey, explained to the Lusa agency that this change reflects less an ideological shift and more a modification in how African youth perceive the functioning of global politics. Many respondents seem to accept Trump's approach, which treats international relations through transactions, influence, and mutual interest, rather than external aid or values-based diplomacy, provided Africa receives concrete benefits in return.

However, this positivity coexists with a 'deeper unease' about the relationship with the USA. Just over half (58%) of young people believe that the USA will violate international law to access natural resources in their countries, a concern more pronounced in South Africa and Liberia (both at 70%).

Additionally, the closure of USAID, determined by Trump, generated divisions: more than two in five (46%) young people foresee a negative impact, with the highest concern in Mozambique (76%), Rwanda, and Kenya (both at 63%).

The youth unemployment crisis in South Africa has reached a critical level: nearly half of young people aged 15 to 34 are excluded from employment, education, or training. The growing population not participating in education, employment, or training is provoking social instability, political volatility, and slowing economic growth, calling into question the country's future.

Scale of the labor market crisis

South Africa is experiencing a deep and destabilizing crisis that affects crime, politics, mental health, family structures, and long-term economic growth. Recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey data forces the country to acknowledge the scale of this emergency. The country's working population is 42.2 million, of which about 21.0 million are young people aged 15 to 34.

Despite this demographic group being the engine of the economy, the figures demonstrate a generation detached from economic life. Only 5.6 million of them are employed, 4.7 million are unemployed, and the remaining 10.6 million have completely left the workforce. This points to a more serious problem: millions of people have stopped looking for work and have entirely exited the labor market, being outside of work, study, or training.

Statistics and devastating impact

The overall unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2026 was 32.7 percent, a catastrophic figure. However, the burden is unevenly distributed: youth bear the main load. Among the 15–24 age group, the unemployment rate reaches 60.9 percent, and among those aged 25–34, it is 40.6 percent. These figures indicate that most young people cannot integrate into the economy, and the transition from school to work has collapsed.

The labor absorption rate is particularly alarming: only 10.1 percent of young people aged 15–24 are employed, the lowest rate among all age groups. Even in the 25–34 age group, where labor force participation is 72 percent, the absorption rate is only 42.8 percent. This creates a gap of 29.2 percentage points between those actively seeking work and those finding it, which economists call the 'scarring effect'—permanent damage to future income and career progression.

Rise in NEETs and gender gap

The most worrying indicator is the increase in young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET). In the first quarter of 2026, 3.9 million out of 10.3 million young people aged 15–24 were NEET, accounting for 37.6 percent. For the broader 15–34 group, this figure is even higher—45.6 percent, meaning almost half of South Africa's youth are not engaged in work or education.

This trend is worsening: the NEET rate increases by 0.5 percentage points annually in both age groups. The crisis is not gender-neutral. Young women bear a heavier burden: in the first quarter of 2026, 39.2 percent of young women aged 15–24 were NEET, which is 1.7 percentage points higher than the previous year. While the rate for young men decreased from 36.7 to 36.0 percent, the gender gap widened to 3.2 percentage points.

Social and political consequences

Excluding the majority of youth from employment fuels frustration, which manifests as rising crime, protests, and social unrest. Unemployed youth become vulnerable to criminal networks, substance abuse, and political manipulation, leading to a collapse of trust in institutions and increased hostility towards the political elite.

From a political standpoint, the lack of hope caused by unemployment leads to political instability. Young people who feel excluded become unpredictable voters, prone to supporting destructive policies and radical alternatives. This weakens traditional loyalties and strengthens populist narratives, creating a 'political time bomb.'

Economic challenges and solutions

High youth unemployment hinders sustainable growth, slowing entrepreneurship, weakening innovation, and reducing consumer spending. The South African economy does not create enough jobs capable of absorbing youth because it remains capital-intensive rather than labor-intensive. Technology and automation exacerbate the situation by eliminating many entry-level positions. Overcoming the crisis requires not just a rhetorical approach but the implementation of labor-intensive growth, targeted skills development, apprenticeship programs, and incentives for hiring youth.

The country must urgently address public service issues to provide youth with reliable education, transport, and digital infrastructure. Experts emphasize that this crisis is not a slow process but an immediate threat determining whether the country can recover or continue to disintegrate.