The Youth Month in South Africa is a time to reflect and honour the legacy of the brave young people who stood against the apartheid regime during the Soweto Uprising of 1976.
Hundreds of students were ambushed and killed by police for protesting the oppressive education system.
This was indeed a crucial moment in our history that reminded the nation of the power and potential of its youth.
Almost 5 decades later, young people continue to be at the forefront of South Africa’s socio-economic transformation tackling issues such as marginalisation, inequality, and unemployment.
According to the Social Profile of South African Youth, this demographic makes up nearly one-third of our population.
They represent a dynamic generation which continues to navigate the ever-changing society that is influenced by labour markets, poverty, crime, lack of access to quality education as well as high unemployment due to lack of relevant skills.
To address these challenges, we need to start finding ways to accelerate youth economic emancipation for them to have a sustainable future.
Government and private companies need to continue initiating interventions that focus on youth development and empowerment in order to draw more young people into actively participating in the growth of the economy.
It has been reported in the first quarter of 2025 that the South African youth unemployment rate has reached an alarming average of 62.4%, these are not just statistics but a representation of millions of the youth in South Africa who are affected by these circumstances.
Harnessing the full potential of the youth and giving them opportunities through investing in skills development and quality higher education can position our country as a continental leader in the green economy and digital economy.
Private Sector businesses such as Microsoft South Africa have begun offering such opportunities through hands-on trainings and mentorship for in demand careers.
Entrepreneurship pays a crucial role in economic development.
Many innovative young people continue to defy the odds by themselves, contributing to job creation, innovation and the diversification of the economy.
Fostering an entrepreneurial culture amongst the youth and providing support through various enterprises will help in improving the access to capital, relevant markets and mentorship in order to show these youth-led businesses.
Organisations such as 22 On Sloane, the largest startup campus and entrepreneurship hub in Africa are instrumental in supporting these SMMEs to nurture their entrepreneurship mindsets while ensuring that their businesses become sustainable, while exposing them to new industries. Non-profit organisations like Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator are also dedicated to addressing the youth unemployment through networks that facilitate placement of young people into various employment opportunities.
The late Riky Rick Machado once expressed on social media: “Please believe in young people. Give them as many opportunities as they need to prove themselves, at any cost.” His words highlight the need for inclusive participation and trust in the capabilities of young people.
To effectively support the youth in contributing to the growth of the economy and society, it is important to enhance our education system and skills development programmes to align with industry needs and place the youth in demand in the labour market.
Promoting youth entrepreneurship with an enabling environment that provides access to funding, removing the red tape and offering youth-led businesses access to regulated markets will encourage more businesses to be innovative.
Through the strengthened collaboration between public-private, we would be able to address many challenges that are faced by the youth of today.
Such partnerships give a pathway to facilitate job creation, skills development as a strategy and competitive advantage to ensure a sustainable future.
We need to encourage creativity and innovation amongst the youth, for them to develop solutions that address social challenges.
The youth of South Africa continue to be the driving force in the country’s development.
Their resilience, drive and ingenuity still give us a glimpse of a promising and prosperous future.
By Investing in quality education, entrepreneurship and supportive initiatives our country can harness the potential of its empowered youth to build a more inclusive and dynamic economy.
Let us honour the youth of 1976, not just in remembrance, but through action.
By extending ourselves and taking up initiatives to deliver a better tomorrow that they fought for.
Nthame Mametja is the programme officer at 22 On Sloane.
BUSINESS REPORT
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