Deputy President Paul Mashatile stepped in for President Cyril Ramaphosa to deliver a powerful keynote address at the National Youth Day commemoration and career exhibition held at North West University’s Rag Farm Stadium in Potchefstroom.
The event, themed “Skills for the Changing World: Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation,” paid homage to the historic 1976 Soweto Uprising while shining a light on the urgent challenges confronting South Africa’s youth today.
Mashatile praised the strides made in education since 1994, noting an impressive rise in the matric pass rate from 58% to 87.3% in 2024 and the transformation of higher education where black students now account for 80% of enrollments. He also celebrated gender progress, highlighting that over 60% of graduates are young women.
Despite these advances, Mashatile confronted a stark reality: youth unemployment remains alarmingly high at 56.3% for those aged 18 to 34. “Many young people are not living the future they hoped for, facing high unemployment, inequality, and limited access to opportunities, especially in the digital economy,” he said.
Urging young people to embrace entrepreneurship, Mashatile spotlighted government initiatives like the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy and the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which recently created 205,000 youth jobs. He applauded local youth efforts, such as a youth-led cleaning campaign in Potchefstroom, stressing the need for multisector collaboration to equip youth for economic participation.
The event also featured a career exhibition providing access to learnerships, internships, and mentoring, attracting notable officials including Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, and NYDA Acting CEO Mafiki Duma.
However, the commemorative occasion was overshadowed by service delivery protests in Potchefstroom, as young residents voiced deep frustrations over unemployment and inadequate basic services — a stark reminder of the challenges that remain on the path to youth empowerment.
