Dr. Mabila Matebula, an author with a doctorate in construction management, asserts that the problem of youth unemployment poses a serious threat to South Africa's social stability.
Matebula compares political rhetoric during election campaigns with management reality, noting that politicians create a false impression that jobs are provided by the state. However, according to the author, jobs only arise from profit generation, which in turn depends on the availability of capital and business.
He cites Harry S. Truman's metaphor that losing a neighbor's job is a recession, while losing one's own job is a depression. In the context of youth unemployment, Matebula believes this is equivalent to the Great Depression, as young people have never had the opportunity to participate in the 'ocean of employment.'
The author emphasizes that the lack of economic viability jeopardizes national security, as a country that does not realize that jobs are generated by the private sector will never be safe. He notes that democratic institutions cannot thrive amid prolonged economic hardship when millions of young people are deprived of jobs, housing, education, and food.
Matebula points to the large number of unemployed young people on the African continent and expresses hope for achieving the continental promise of prosperity. He references General George Marshall, who stated after World War II that peace can only be maintained by the strong, and adds that creating jobs for youth is part of this concept of strength.
In the past, the rate of youth unemployment in South Africa was negligible; for example, South African Railways and Ports hired people from age 12 up to forty. However, this changed with the advent of the 'new labor contract,' which marked the end of long-term careers and the transition to temporary workers.
The author proposes two paths: either mourn the lost 'ocean of employment' or consciously decide to become that ocean. He quotes labor historian Christopher Heyl, who wrote about how time is forgotten when free thinkers rejected complete dependence on wages.
Matebula traces the evolution of labor systems, starting from the 'putting-out system' in textile production in the late 17th century, which was replaced by an internal contract system where workers remained independent of factory owners despite working in centralized enterprises.
Next, the author moves to astrological cycles, suggesting that the current unemployment crisis is related to astrological ages. He describes the last three ages: Aries (approximately 2000 BCE to CE), Pisces (which ended in the last millennium), and the current Aquarius, which is predicted to last until the year 4000.
Characteristics of Aries include creativity, leadership, and motivation. The Piscean era saw the transition from tribal thinking to personal development, which contributed to science and medicine. Currently, in the Age of Aquarius, the idea of creating one's own reality dominates, making artificial intelligence typically Aquarian. Matebula warns that the social security system based on Aries energy will soon become useless in the Aquarius era, and calls on universities to prepare graduates for this new era.