DSD TO DRIVE YOUTH ECONOMIC INCLUSION AT VAAL EMPOWAYOUTH WEEK 2026

By Precious Mupenzi

• The upcoming Vaal EmpowaYouth Week, starting on 20 April 2026, is aimed at moving people beyond social security protection to economic inclusion.
• The initiative, supported by the Department of Social Development, will bring together over 10 000 young people, more than 200 partners, and industry leaders across various sectors.
• ⁠The South African Social Security Agency and the National Development Agency will provide on-site services, youth transition support, and funding opportunities for social enterprises.

The Department of Social Development will participate in the upcoming Vaal EmpowaYouth Week 2026, a strategic national platform aimed at advancing youth livelihoods, social development, and economic inclusion.

Scheduled to take place from 20–24 April 2026 in Sebokeng, Gauteng, the initiative is positioned as a high-impact delivery platform designed to translate social protection into tangible economic opportunities for young people.

Taking place during Freedom Month, the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to advancing the constitutional promise of dignity, equality and opportunity for all, particularly young people.

The engagement comes at a critical time, as South Africa continues to grapple with youth unemployment levels exceeding 41%, compounded by poverty, inequality, and limited access to opportunities. Through its participation, the department, led by acting Director-General Advocate Gugulethu Thimane, will play a central role in ensuring that vulnerable youth transition from social assistance into meaningful economic participation.

The five-day programme will function as a “Youth Opportunity Campus”, bringing together over 10 000 young people, more than 200 partners, and industry leaders across various sectors. The platform integrates social development programmes with economic activation, creating real-time pathways into skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Each day will focus on key growth sectors aligned to national priorities, including the care economy, digital innovation, creative industries, green economy, and entrepreneurship. Notably, the department will anchor a health, wellness and care economy day, highlighting critical services such as psychosocial support, substance abuse interventions, gender-based violence (GBV) response, and pathways into careers such as social work and early childhood development.

Through this integrated approach, the department seeks to strengthen the link between social protection and economic participation, ensuring that its programmes contribute directly to job creation, enterprise development, and sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative will also see the participation of key entities of the Department of Social Development, including the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Development Agency (NDA), providing on-site services, youth transition support, and funding opportunities for social enterprises.

Advocate Thimane is expected to deliver a keynote address and participate in high-level engagements, positioning the department as a key driver of integrated social and economic development.

“This platform represents a decisive shift from social protection as an endpoint to social development as a pathway into economic participation. As government, we are intentionally building systems that restore dignity, unlock opportunity, and ensure that every young person we serve is meaningfully integrated into the economy and society,” said Advocate Thimane.

Importantly, the platform emphasises civic activation, encouraging young people to actively participate in shaping their future through dialogue, innovation, and economic participation under the theme: “Your Voice. Your Dignity. Your Future Economy”.

The expected outcomes include strengthening social cohesion, increasing civic participation, and measurable pathways from welfare support to sustainable livelihoods.

This engagement reaffirms the Department of Social Development’s commitment to building a society where social development serves as the foundation for dignity, inclusion, and economic opportunity, ensuring that no young person is left behind in South Africa’s development journey.