Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said on Monday that South Africa is in a crisis when it comes to the number of unemployed young people in the country.
"About 71% of all unemployed people in South Africa are between the ages of 15 to 29. Most of the them are women, the majority of which have never had a job in their lives," Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said.
He said South Africa ranked third after Greece and Spain.
"Half of the people between 15-29 are unemployed in this country."
The union would stage a protest march in seven cities on Wednesday to highlight youth unemployment and demand solutions.
The union wanted the Employment Tax Incentive Act repealed and scrapped.
Incentive
Jim said the act stated that no incentive would be paid in respect of employees earning more than R6 000 a month.
"The bulk of the qualifying employees in term of the Act pay no tax as the current tax threshold is R67 111.
"This means that an employer can withhold the subsidy he is entitled to from the general tax deduction," he said.
"We are opposed to the schemes where the working class is forced to subsidise capitalists."
He said the youth subsidy was an "attack" on workers. "We are fighting back the onslaught of the ANC government against the workers."
Government was able to create jobs instead of delivering youth to the door of employers to be exploited.
Various civil organisations will join the protest, according to Numsa.
The union expected 500 000 people to march in Johannesburg (Gauteng), KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Mpumalanga. – Sapa