Mashatile: Youth Empowerment and Economic Growth Top Government Agenda

In a powerful address during the Youth Day commemoration held in the North West province, Deputy President Paul Mashatile reaffirmed the South African government’s unwavering commitment to fostering an enabling environment for economic growth, education, safety, and opportunity—especially for the youth. As the nation marked 30 years of democracy, Mashatile’s speech served both as a rallying cry for progress and a reflection on how far the country has come in empowering young people.

Empowering Youth in a Changing World

Speaking under this year’s theme, “Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation”, the Deputy President emphasized the importance of skilling young people to ensure their successful integration into a rapidly evolving global economy. He urged the private sector to actively participate by investing in youth-led ventures, creating jobs, and supporting innovation.

“I want to emphasise that the youth deserve nothing less than a future where their skills, creativity, and determination can flourish in a changing world. Your voice, your ideas, and your energy are the fuel that can rebuild this country,” Mashatile stated passionately.

He further encouraged young people to take part in the upcoming National Dialogue, a platform aimed at shaping South Africa’s developmental trajectory through inclusive consultation. Parents, educators, and communities were called upon to offer consistent guidance and support to young people during these uncertain times.

Bridging the Skills and Economic Gaps

The Deputy President highlighted various government initiatives designed to close the gap between skills development and economic participation. Key among these are:

• Support for Entrepreneurs: Government is offering young entrepreneurs access to financial support, business development services, and training through programmes like the NYDA Grant Programme, Youth Challenge Fund, and the newly launched R20 billion annual Transformation Fund over the next five years. These funds aim to uplift Black-owned and historically disadvantaged businesses.

• Digital Economy Focus: To ensure the youth are not left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, government has rolled out the Digital Economy Masterplan and the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy. These initiatives promote digital inclusion and job creation in emerging sectors.

• Promoting Clean Governance: Mashatile announced the establishment of a War Room on Clean Governance, which will prioritize faster payments (10–15 day cycles) to small businesses and focus on transformative procurement practices to support youth-led enterprises.

30 Years of Democratic Progress in Education

Reflecting on the milestones achieved since the end of apartheid, Mashatile celebrated a transformed education landscape. South Africa’s matric pass rate has grown from 58% in 1994 to a record 87.3% in 2024, underscoring decades of investment in the education system.

Higher education has seen a significant expansion in access:

• NSFAS Transformation: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme now disburses over R52 billion, benefiting more than 1.1 million students annually. Originally loan-based, it was restructured into a grant-based system in 2017 to avoid saddling graduates with lifelong debt.

• Growth in Representation: In 1994, Black students made up 50.4% of the tertiary student population; by 2020, that figure had grown to 80%. In addition, gender parity has been exceeded, with over 60% of graduates now being women, indicating substantial progress in inclusivity.

Mashatile also praised initiatives like the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund, which supports students from rural and township backgrounds, and acknowledged ongoing efforts to address housing shortages and NSFAS administrative issues.

Mass Youth Employment Initiatives Making an Impact

Addressing the unemployment crisis, Mashatile outlined government’s key interventions:

• Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI): Launched in 2020, this initiative has registered over 4.7 million youth on the National Pathway Management Network, facilitating 1.6 million earning opportunities.

• Basic Education Employment Initiative: As part of Phase 5, 205,000 young people were recently placed in education sector jobs.

• Social Employment Fund: Administered by the Industrial Development Corporation, this programme supports community-based employment that contributes social value.

Call for Unity and Sustained Momentum

Mashatile concluded his address by emphasizing the need for speed and execution in implementing existing policies. “We must speed up the execution of existing legislation and regulations to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of the youth,” he said.

As South Africa reflects on three decades of democracy, Deputy President Mashatile’s message was one of optimism, resilience, and accountability. With comprehensive plans in place, he reiterated that the country’s success hinges on collaboration between government, the private sector, civil society, and the youth themselves.