South Sudanese youth have overtime demanded that UN and NGOs working in their home states give them priority in employment over fellow citizens from other states and foreigners.
Most recently, the youth in Renk, Upper Nile State, and Bentiu in Unity State protested the lack of employment and demanded that some NGOs leave their respective states.
In Renk, Upper Nile State, a humanitarian aid store belonging to Medair was torched and aid vehicles vandalized. This led to security tensions and the evacuation of some NGO staff from the areas.
Radio Tamazuj caught up with South Sudan’s Labour and Public Service Minister, General James Hoth Mai, and sounded him out on issue raised by the youth.
Below are edited excerpts:
Q: You are in charge of labour and the issue of youth employment falls within your docket. There are many issues. We want to ask you about the issue of youth in different states saying that they do not want youth/people from other states of South Sudan to work in their localities. Recently youth in Bentiu demanded that local youth be employed by NGOs working there and this created a security threat to the NGOs. What do you have to say about this issue?
A: We have indeed had many complaints and problems from different states in the country regarding this issue. The youth are demanding jobs but mostly in the areas of Renk where an NGO food store was burnt and Melut which has been resolved.
We have laws that govern the operations of NGOs. One of the things in our labor laws is that 80 percent of the staff employed by organizations have to be South Sudanese. This is in place. And also in the areas where these NGOs work, three positions have to be hired locally and not from outside. It means they have to be citizens of the local area. One is drivers. Drivers have to be recruited locally. Number two is the position of cleaners. Number three is security-those who protect and guard the premises of the organizations. We, in the labor ministry, have said these three positions should be filled by locals and not people brought from elsewhere.
Other important officials should also be recruited from the local community. For example, if you require a professional then you recruit locally. If they are not available then you can bring from another state because there are specialized positions.
Q: When you say someone from the area or locality, are you implying a South Sudanese or if the organization works in Western Equatoria then they only recruit from that state.
A: Yes, a South Sudanese national. Strictly a citizen. For example, if an organization is working in Yambio, then the drivers, cleaners, and security guards should be hired locally from Yambio. And we are not saying it should only be a Zande but any citizen residing in Yambio can get these jobs.
Q: So someone can be recruited as a driver in the Upper Nile state and be brought to work in Yambio?
A: No. You cannot bring someone from Upper Nile, but if there is a person from Upper Nile who resides and lives in Yambio, then he can work there. But you should not take someone from Upper Nile to go and be a driver in Yambio.
Q: This is now the issue the youth are protesting, the movement of staff from other states to work in their states. For example, an NGO bringing a driver who hails from Upper Nile to work in Jonglei. Does the government have a solution for this?
A: Yes, that is not right. A driver should not be brought from outside. We are in talks with the NGOs and we have come up with rules and laws to govern this. The biggest concern is that of professionals. If you fail to find a professional locally then you can hire another citizen from another state. Someone with the requisite certificates. But the category of drivers has to be hired locally.
Q: These protests having continued happening in many states, what have you done as a government to mitigate this problem and reassure the youth?
A: Our problem is that the state government has not been formed because we have labour offices at the state level. The state labour offices will implement these laws. Right now we have been talking to the communities but when the state government is formed these issues will be resolved quickly. The labour offices will work with the NGOs to identify and recommend who is eligible to work there. The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) will also be involved to see these policies are implemented.
Q: What have you done to the youth who have been agitating, attacking, and even burning NGO premises? How will you handle them in the future?
A: You see these youth are people who do not know what they are doing. They should know that these NGOs are giving support to the citizens of South Sudan. So if you mobilize to frustrate the NGOs then their support to our people will not be there. These youth will be looked for. If we find them we will arrest them because what they did is not right.
Q: The youth have also complained that some of the jobs meant for them are taken by old people in their 70s who are meant to be retired. What have you done about this?
A: These are issues we are addressing and it has not reached the stage or extent where the youth must fight and burn stores. To this, we say now. In public service, some people are going to be retired. This will provide vacancies in which youth will be recruited. And this is their right.
Q: The youth also protested the employment of foreigners from Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, etc. by NGOs in non-skilled positions or jobs that do not require specialized skills what have you done about this?
A: We stand with our youth and will ensure they get jobs. As a ministry, we have assessed the labor market to find out who is working, how many of them are foreigners, and how many are nationals. The youth have to be patient because this is a process and it is not something done in a day.
Q: What message do you want to convey to the youth and the people of South Sudan regarding employment which has been a burning issue for so long in the country?
A: The youth are the future of the nation. Their problem is our problem. I want to tell them that if there is an issue, a disagreement, or a protest, let us come together and carry out a social dialogue. We sit down and talk rather than taking the law into our hands and go around beating people and burning houses and stores. That is not right.
We as a government are here for them and will sort out their problems in the proper way. These NGOs are helping the people because the government still has issues that are also being resolved and cannot provide services to all the people. For example, those of World Vision and Medair supply much needed food and medicines in Renk, Upper Nile. The youth should be patient. Our work here in the labor ministry is to address their employment issues. It is true they require jobs but this has to be dealt with properly and not by fighting.