In May 2012 demonstrations in Johannesburg for the implementation of the youth wage subsidy resulted in brutal street fights between members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). This has been the peak of the conflict that was sparked by President Jacob Zuma’s announcement to implement such a subsidy to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment in South Africa. KAS intern Tobias Reinauer analyses the different views and position on this hotly debated issue.