DSD LAUNCHES DIGITAL SKILLS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME FOR YOUTH IN KWAZULU-NATAL

By Tholakele Makena.

• The Department of Social Development, alongside partners, has launched a six-month digital skills and entrepreneurship training programme in KwaZulu-Natal to help young people transition from dependency to opportunity.
• Targeting 50 NEET youth from the Expanded Public Works Programme, the initiative aims to equip participants with future-ready IT and entrepreneurial skills that can drive self-employment and community upliftment.
• The programme is part of a broader government effort to link social protection with the digital economy, fostering innovation and sustainable livelihoods among marginalised young people.

The Department of Social Development (DSD), in partnership with Africa Beyond the Fourth Industrial Revolution (AB4IR) and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, has launched a six-month Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship Training Programme at the eThekwini TVET College Asherville Campus in KwaZulu-Natal. This pilot marks a fresh approach to youth development, focusing on digital innovation rather than traditional work opportunities.
The initiative targets 50 young participants from the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET). Funded by the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET), the programme provides NQF Level 4 IT Systems Development training, laptops, and a monthly stipend. Delivered by AB4IR in partnership with Tshwane South and eThekwini TVET Colleges, the project aims to bridge the gap between social development and economic participation.
Dez Jason from DSD’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit explained that the project represents a deliberate shift in how the department tackles youth unemployment. “We cannot fight youth unemployment with outdated tools. We must equip young people with future-ready skills that allow them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy and ultimately become job creators in their own right,” he said.
For participants like Luluma Ceme (27) from Pinetown, the training is about merging personal passion with practical skills. “I’m a creative person and a gender-based violence activist. I’ve always wanted to develop an app that helps vulnerable children report abuse quickly and safely. This course is helping me build the technical skills to turn that dream into reality,” she shared.
Others, like Sibusiso Bele (26) from Bluff, Durban, see the programme as a launchpad for small business and artistic ambitions. “I’ve always been interested in IT. Learning computer literacy and digital tools could help me start a business and even support a side hustle in music,” he said.
Khanisani Terrence Phewa (33) spoke about using the skills to build stronger communities. “I enjoy working with people. With the digital skills I’m gaining, I hope to develop an app that supports GBV victims. I also want to share my knowledge and train others in my community.”
Covering everything from app and web development to Java programming and game design for financial literacy, the training combines technical learning with entrepreneurship. It is also part of EPWP’s broader Pathway Model, which seeks to move participants from short-term public work into longer-term economic opportunities.
The Department’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit will track the programme closely, measuring its impact on participants’ lives and gathering insights that could shape a national rollout. This is more than a skills course; it is a vision to place young people at the heart of South Africa’s digital economy—as creators, innovators, and agents of change.
The launch underscores government’s renewed commitment to leaving no one behind, opening doors