Youth unemployment stands at around 40 per cent in South Africa Photo: ALAMY |
Seven people out of 15000 reportedly died after they all took part in a fitness test held in a het of 91.5F (33C); this was to win one of just 90 jobs with South African traffic police.
A crowd of unemployed jobseekers, who most were between the age of 18-20 years old, took part in a test, held in a football stadium, after they each received text messages informing them they had been “shortlisted” for the coveted spots in the KwaZulu Natal regional traffic police department.
As part of the test, they were told they needed to complete 4km (2.4 mile) run within half an hour to meet the force’s minimum fitness level requirement.
But by the time they started running late last Thursday afternoon, temperatures inside Pietermaritzburg’s Harry Gwala stadium had climbed to 91.5F.
With many neither eating or drinking all day, and limited access to drinking water, six people died after collapsing from heat exhaustion and dehydration during the run; while a seventh man reportedly killed himself when he learned he had not finished the race in time.