KZN DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN UTHUKELA

By Trevor Khuzwayo.

• ⁠The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development is equipping young people with the tools they need to lead, grow and thrive. Through a three-day empowerment camp hosted in the Royal Natal National Park, the Department is investing in the potential of youth from across the province.
• The initiative designed to break cycles of poverty and social exclusion forms part of Youth Month activities and focuses on skills development, emotional resilience and leadership training
• ⁠Participants were selected through the iMamba ICT initiative, a registered non-profit organisation, and are supported by mentors who have walked a similar path through the Department’s own development academies.

Held from 18 to 20 June 2025, the residential camp brings together 47 youth participants for a programme centred on life skills, career development and capacity-building. Hosted by the Department’s Youth and Women Directorate, the camp is more than just a commemorative activity. It reflects a long-term strategy to address poverty, unemployment and social exclusion by developing youth leadership at grassroots level.
The first day focused on physical and mental wellbeing, with group fitness activities followed by motivational engagements and team-building sessions. In the days ahead, participants will engage in empowerment workshops and connect with provincial departments offering post-camp support.
Among the mentors is Mr Sabelo Jobe, a graduate of the Department’s youth development programme who now works as an instructor at the Vuma Youth Development Academy. Jobe joined the eSicabazini Youth Development Academy in 2013, rose to junior instructor by 2018 and was appointed permanently in 2021. He now shares his knowledge with others, guiding participants through the same journey that transformed his own life.
“I want to equip young people with the same confidence and skills I was given. Youth development is not about giving handouts, it is about building capacity,” said Jobe.
His story is a testament to the long-term impact of structured, well-supported youth interventions. Through academies such as eSicabazini and Vuma, the Department continues to instill values of accountability, service and leadership in young people across KwaZulu-Natal.
As activities continue in the days ahead, the message is clear. Youth empowerment is not a moment, it is a mission, and the Department of Social Development remains committed to shaping leaders today for a stronger South Africa tomorrow.