• Paul Mashatile says more than half of young people aged 18 to 34 are jobless, with 3.8 million not studying or training.

• He told the youth in Potchefstroom that the government has billions in funding to help them start and grow small businesses.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on young people to stop waiting for jobs and start building their own businesses.

Speaking at the Youth Day commemoration in Potchefstroom on Monday, he said the country's rising youth unemployment is not just an economic problem but a moral emergency.

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Mashatile told the crowd that over half of South Africans aged 18 to 34 do not have jobs. "This is the highest we have ever seen," he said.

Even worse, 3.8 million young people are not in school, not training and not working. He said young women are hit harder than men. Among those aged 15 to 24, more than one in three are in this category.

"Even graduates are battling. Nearly one in four cannot find work," said Mashatile.

The 49th Youth Day event was held under the theme "Skills for a Changing World - Embracing Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation".

Mashatile said it is time to fix deep problems in the economy and address the mismatch between what schools teach and what jobs require.

But he said young people cannot wait. "We must encourage youth to trust and believe in their ability to start and grow their own businesses," he said.

He urged them to use government support programmes such as the National Youth Development Agency's Grant Programme and the Youth Challenge Fund. He also spoke about a R20-billion annual Transformation Fund that will run for the next five years.

Mashatile said unemployment affects the whole country, not just individuals. "We must all act -- government, business and communities."