DRIVING YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: MINISTER TOLASHE CHAMPIONS SKILLS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AT NATIONAL SUMMIT

By Staff Writer.

• Minister Tolashe’s leadership aims to drive meaningful solutions to youth unemployment and promote partnerships for sustainable economic empowerment.
• The National Youth Summit will focus on empowering youth through skills development, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunities in the social sector.
• ⁠The summit aims to foster partnerships and create paths to enhance youth employability and address the 46.1% youth unemployment rate.

The Minister of Social Development, Ms Sisisi Tolashe, today officially opened the National Youth Summit in Boksburg, Gauteng. The two-day gathering comes at a critical time, as South Africa’s youth continue to face profound socio-economic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, inequality, HIV and other chronic diseases, substance abuse, teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and related social ills.
According to Statistics South Africa, the country’s unemployment rate rose to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, with young people aged 15 to 34 bearing the brunt of this crisis. Youth unemployment alone reached 46.1%, amounting to 4.8 million out of the country’s 8.2 million unemployed individuals. As the largest demographic segment of the nation, young people are vital to South Africa’s current and future development, making their meaningful participation and empowerment essential for sustainable growth.
In response to these pressing challenges, the National Youth Summit is being held under the theme “Youth Skills Development and Economic Empowerment in the Social Sector.” The Summit seeks to actively engage young people from all provinces, share positive youth success stories, and create opportunities to access critical skills for employment, entrepreneurship, and broader economic inclusion.
The programme features a range of interactive activities, including youth-led dialogues, career guidance workshops, skills development sessions, and entrepreneurship support initiatives. An opportunities expo is also underway, connecting young participants with valuable resources, while networking platforms allow them to express their views, share experiences, and build strategic partnerships.
In addition, the Summit addresses youth mental wellness and explores innovative solutions to strengthen employability, tackle youth unemployment, and unlock funding and partnership opportunities. Through these collective efforts, the Department of Social Development, under Minister Tolashe’s leadership, aims to drive a comprehensive and coordinated response to the challenges confronting the country’s youth and pave the way for their active, meaningful participation in South Africa’s growth and transformation.