Bold commitments drive 1 million youth employment opportunities in South Africa by 2026
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr Jomo Sibiya. Supplied by Harambee
Leaders across government, business, and social sectors aim to create more than 1 million new earning opportunities for young South Africans within the next two years. This ambitious commitment was made at the SA Youth Solutions Exchange 2024, on Tuesday, 29 October, in Bryanston.
Co-convened by the Project Management Office in The Presidency, Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), Youth Employment Service (YES) and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator (Harambee), this year’s conference focused on tackling youth unemployment at scale through cross-sector collaboration.
Now in its 8th year, the event—under the theme “Solving Together for Scaled Impact”—sparked dynamic discussions on innovative pathways and practical solutions for achieving this goal. Among the impactful initiatives spotlighted was the SA Youth platform, which is led by the Department of Employment and Labour and operated by Harambee. Launched in 2021 as part of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), this platform connects businesses with a vast pool of young talent nationwide. Its zero-rated mobile service allows young job seekers to access opportunities without incurring data costs, while geo-mapping features help them find jobs close to home, reducing transport expenses.
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr Jomo Sibiya noted the importance of using technology to connect recruitment platforms from across the ecosystem: “As the lead department for the National Pathway Management Network, the Department of Employment and Labour is currently integrating the back end of our Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) system into the SA Youth Platform. Once completed, this will enable young people to view the opportunities featured on the SA Youth platform and vice versa.”
While GDP growth generally boosts job creation, Deputy Minister Sibiya pointed out that targeted strategies are needed to ensure these jobs reach young people. “If we coordinate and orchestrate policy incentives as the economy grows, we create an environment where companies can employ young people sustainably,” he added. This was reiterated by BUSA’s CEO Designate, Khulekani Mathe: “It is easier to hire inclusively in a growing economy, so we’ve got to do everything as a country to ensure economic growth.”
Justin Apsey, Managing Director and EVP at Unilever Southern Africa, said in his keynote address that the role of business is to transform youth employment by embedding “shared value” into corporate strategies. “Investing in young people’s potential is not just a social responsibility—it’s an economic imperative. There is no good business model for a failing society. What is good for South Africa is good for all of us.”
Delegates underscored the importance of “sunrise” sectors such as global business services, digital industries, and tourism to create meaningful roles for young people and committed to intensifying inclusive hiring practices across these sectors.
The gathering concluded with a strong call to action, leveraging recent economic developments to inspire momentum. Earlier this month, the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) projected that economic growth could triple to 3.3% in 2025 if government reform programmes are accelerated.
In her closing remarks, Nicola Galombik, Executive Director of Yellowwoods, captured the event’s spirit: “We have the agenda—step up, do more, lead from where you are, and join these collective efforts. With coordination, targeted investment, and inclusive hiring, we can create the future we want to see.”
