656,000 South African Students Entered Workforce in 2025

Why this is here: Through the Goedgedacht Trust Consortium, the Social Employment Fund logged 386,000 output units across Rounds 2 and 3, demonstrating practical support in communities with high unemployment.

Deon Snyman, MD of the Goedgedacht Trust in South Africa, describes the Social Employment Fund (SEF) as a program providing paid work for the common good. In 2025, roughly 656,000 students passed the NSC examination, but face limited job opportunities in a country with about 1% economic growth. The SEF employs people for seven days a month to work in areas like food security and childcare.

Goedgedacht Trust partners with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and over 2,500 community organizations to deliver the program across seven municipalities. They’ve created over 4,100 work opportunities, emphasizing verified impact over simple activity reports. Participants receive training—like accredited regenerative agriculture courses—and skills development.

The program doesn’t guarantee formal employment, but it offers structure, income, and a sense of agency. While SEF shows promise, challenges remain in reporting and uneven implementation, and not all participants will find permanent jobs. The work continues to expand the program with support from businesses.