“This Thing of 18 to 35 Is a Total No”: Woman Complains About People Over 60 Having Permanent Jobs

• A young woman posted a passionate video calling out the unfairness of age restrictions in job applications when Parliament members over 60 still hold permanent positions.
• She suggested that people should vote for candidates under the age of 60, arguing that older politicians don't understand the youth unemployment struggles
• The video went viral with over 2000 reactions and 500 comments as South Africans realised for the first time how many retirement-age people still work in government positions

A young South African woman has sparked a heated debate about age discrimination in the workplace after posting a video, questioning why people over 60 can hold permanent government jobs when younger people face age restrictions.

Content creator @Yonang TV shared the woman's passionate message at the end of June with the caption:

"Pensioners in the workplace."

In her emotional plea to fellow South Africans, the woman said:

"This thing of 18 to 35 is a total no no no no no, like everybody that is beyond the age of 35, can you please meet. Can we gather in front of Ramaphosa's offices and tell them all you guys are beyond the age of 60, but you're still working, you're still in Parliament, you've got permanent jobs. What about everybody who is beyond the age of 35 and doesn't have a permanent job?"

The woman's frustration stems from the common job requirement that applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old, which excludes many experienced South Africans from employment opportunities. She suggested a radical solution:

"When it's voting time, only 18 to 35, we will vote for those in these ages. We are not going anywhere because all opportunities now are throwing us out because of our age."

Her argument highlights the contradiction between private sector age limits and the fact that many government officials continue working well past retirement age. She pointed out that people in Parliament have permanent jobs despite being over 60, while younger South Africans struggle to find any employment at all.

Mzansi reacts with frustration and realisation

The powerful message generated strong reactions from viewers who shared the woman's frustration:

Ben Tshepo expressed anger:

"Most they can't even breathe, walk, or even talk, but they're still in positions... kak!!!!"

Tshifhiwa Mudau wrote emotionally:

"😭😭 Total no... I cry when I see the Minister of the Army..."

Trustsenzo Ndhlovu declared:

"You just opened my eyes, I am not voting."

Zozo Mohapi noted her own situation:

"Atmleast 35, mina 49 when is 60."

Video strikes chord with unemployed youth

The video resonated strongly with South Africans who face similar age discrimination in their job searches. Many viewers admitted they had never considered the age gap between government leaders and the youth they represent. The reality that retirement-age politicians make decisions affecting young people who can't find work due to age restrictions opened many people's eyes.

This comes at a time when South Africa's unemployment crisis particularly affects young people, with many companies preferring younger workers or requiring years of experience that recent graduates don't have. Some unemployed South Africans have been forced to seek work online from other countries because local opportunities are so limited.

Watch the Facebook reel below:

Other stories highlighting SA's economic challenges

• Briefly News recently reported on South Africa securing a $1.5 billion World Bank loan for infrastructure, but citizens worry the money will disappear before reaching its intended projects.
• The country lost almost 100,000 jobs in one year, according to Statistics South Africa, with the services and mining sectors taking the biggest hits.
• A content creator filmed unemployed men doing creative tricks at traffic lights to earn money, showing how people survive when there are simply no jobs available.

Source: Briefly News