The ANC has abandoned the youth of Soweto, the Democratic Alliance said on Saturday.

Youths in Soweto had little hope of finding jobs, DA national spokesman Mmusi Maimane said in a statement.

Maimane embarked on a door-to-door visit in Doornkop, Soweto on Saturday morning.

"A clear pattern emerged. Almost every family I visited had a young member who could not find work, or who was concerned about not being able to find work in future."

He said many of them had accepted that they would be indefinitely unemployed.

Maimane accused the African National Congress' policies of not being efficient for them and encouraged them to jump onto the DA's bandwagon.

"The DA has a plan to change the way economy works and break down the wall that excludes so many young South Africans from gainful employment.

We have successfully brought this vision to the Western Cape and I urged them to use their vote in 2014 to choose a new national government that has the will, the ability and the vision to make South Africa’s economy work for them," he said.

Employment was one of the issues highlighted as a priority by President Jacob Zuma during his State of the Nation address earlier this year.

According to the labour department over 25 percent of the country's potential workforce is unemployed. The youth are the hardest hit, with an estimated 42 percent of young people between ages of 18 and 29 said to be jobless.