ANCYL vendors feel pinch

17 June 2011 - 20:46 By Sapa-AP
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The higher unemployment rate among young people is having a negative effect on hawkers at the ANCYL congress in Midrand.

Vendors selling
Vendors selling
Image: Mlondolozi Mbolo

"Business is slow because the conference is for young people. Most of them are unemployed while others are students," Mandlenkosi Fiki, from the Eastern Cape, said on Friday.

Fiki is one of the vendors selling African National Congress-branded jackets, caps, T-shirts, track suits and gloves at the five-day ANC Youth League's (ANCYL) 24th elective conference at Gallagher Estate, which started on Thursday.

Fiki said vendors made more during ANC conferences because they were attended by the working class.

"Everybody knows how high the levels of unemployment among our youth are. That is why we support the youth league’s call for the youth to have economic freedom."

Khosi Ceba, also from the Eastern Cape, complained that business was moving slowly.

"I have only sold one item so far for R150 in the past two days. That is very bad."

She said young people complained the goods were too expensive.

"They forget that we also buy these things. We need to make profit."

The ANCYL's age limit is 35.

According to recent statistics, the unemployment rate among 15- to 24-year-olds was 51 percent.

Jonson Ncube of Sebokeng in Gauteng said he had sold few caps and five jackets.

"We are not doing well, but it is not too bad. Maybe we will sell more tomorrow."

Other vendors were having a better run -- thanks to the cold. Sdudla Mhlongo said she sold 200 jackets in two days.

Cassius Mabuza from Limpopo said he sold over 70 jackets since Thursday.

"I think the weather has been the driving force, my jackets are moving better than any stuff I sell."

Mabuza, who moves from one conference to another, however predicted he was not going to make much money from the ANCYL event.

Although most of the delegates came in buses to the conference, others drove German luxury cars.

According to Statistic SA's recent quarterly labour force survey, about three million of the country's 4.3 million officially unemployed people are between 15 and 34. Of the unemployed youth, 78 percent are black.

Sapa

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