2 June 2026
I extend greetings to you Chair, Chief Whip of the Majority Party, Hon. Ntuli, President Ramaphosa, Honourable Members and the people of South Africa.
Honourable Chair, we gather here today as we begin the month of June, a month which we dedicate to honouring the strength, zeal and fighting capacity of the youth. In this 50th jubilee of the June 16 youth uprising, we acknowledge that the struggle continues. The youth of today may not burn tires and march on the streets everyday however they are in a battle, a battle for inclusion in the economy and decision making platforms, access to opportunities, to be heard, to be protected and kept safe.
Today in KwaZulu-Natal, the Department of Education was opening the newly built state of the art Mbuso Kubheka ICT, Engineering and Technology School of Excellence this is progress in action.
The youth are in schools, institutions of higher learning, skills centres and programmes, they are starting businesses in unfavourable conditions, leading research and innovations that offer South Africa new solutions. They are bold and clear that they want to be part of the solution and they do this practically.
We cannot forget about the youth who are not active anywhere, not in education, not working, not involved in any activity. As we honour the youth of 1976, we do so acknowledging that they laid the foundation for youth to own their power, know their strength and dare to envision entering spaces that were taboo for them in the past.
It is without a doubt that 32 years into democracy a lot has been done to embitter the lives of the people of South Africa however today we face new challenges.
Youth Unemployment in South Africa has become a crisis, one that can no longer be ignored. The youth of this country suffer under open economic exclusion, this has led to a state of hopelessness, indignity, mental health challenges, drug abuse and many other social ills.
We raise this not in ignoring all the hard work that has been carried out in transformative projects, but in cautioning the need for speed in implementation, the need to rollout all the progressive initiatives to more areas in our country, including the deepest rural areas and townships. Hon President, to whom much is given, much is expected, South Africa is a world class country, and its potential has been demonstrated by the great strides that have been made to attempt to address the imbalances of the past. The bar has continued to be raised by different terms of government and now it must be surpassed. Government must continue to act; there is capacity to act.
Youth unemployment is linked to broader patterns of economic exclusion. Access to quality education, skills development opportunities, financial resources, digital technologies and entrepreneurial support remains unevenly distributed across South African society. These inequalities continue to reproduce historical patterns of disadvantage and limit economic mobility.
Government has significantly expanded access to education through programmes such as fee-free higher education, challenges remain. Concerns related to student indebtedness and the exclusion of the “missing middle” who do not qualify for full financial aid yet struggle to afford tertiary education. These barriers constrain opportunities for skills acquisition and labour market advancement.
Government has sought to address these challenges through initiatives such as the One Country, One Skills Plan, the Human Resource Development Strategy and the Master Skills Plan. These initiatives aim to improve alignment between education and labour market requirements, while promoting skills relevant to the digital economy, technological innovation and future employment opportunities.
Entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical mechanism for addressing youth unemployment and promoting economic inclusion. Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in employment creation, innovation and local economic development. Consequently, strengthening the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem should form a central component of South Africa’s youth development strategy.
There is increasing recognition that financial institutions, government agencies, and development finance institutions should expand support for youth-owned enterprises. Access to finance, business incubation, mentorship, market opportunities, and enterprise development support are essential components of a successful entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The Department of Small Business Development 2026/27 strategy focuses on building an integrated Micro Small Medium Enterprises support system through incubation, blended finance, innovation support, supplier development and improved market access. Central to this approach is the implementation of the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024, which seeks to expand procurement opportunities for youth-owned MSMEs and cooperatives through set-asides, subcontracting and localisation measures. These reforms are intended to advance inclusive economic transformation and translate political freedom into meaningful economic participation for South Africa’s youth .
Despite current challenges, significant opportunities exist within emerging sectors of the economy. Technological innovation, digital transformation and the transition towards a greener economy are creating new employment pathways and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The digital economy offers opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence, software development, cybersecurity, digital services, fintech, e-commerce and data analytics. Similarly, the green economy presents opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, environmental management and climate adaptation initiatives. These sectors are expected to play an increasingly important role in future economic growth and employment creation.
Institutions such as the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) have contributed to improving opportunities for many young South Africans. These are intentional interventions, aimed at supporting the development of the youth of South Africa.
There is a long term solution for strengthening of our economy, such that we are able to implement all progressive policies of government, to change the lives of all South Africans without worrying about fiscal constraints. That is through putting up export quotas, beneficiating our minerals locally in order to industrialise our economy and revive our secondary sectors. We can use our God given mineral resources to create jobs and increase participation in the economy.
Honourable Chairperson, despite the work that still needs to be done, to get more young people skilled, working and funded to start their own businesses, there are success stories.
- The presidential Youth Employment Intervention, in Quarter 3 of the period between October and December 2025:
- Ensured 294,530 earning opportunities were secured through the National Pathway Management Network
- The revitalised National Youth Service placed 132,784 young people in paid service opportunities.
- The National Youth Development Agency recently announced 100 000 National Youth Paid Service Opportunities which have been unlocked through the Phase 5 of the National Youth Service programme.
- The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for this year, is funding over 1 million students. Students who were recipients of social grant whilst in school are automatically approved to be funded by NSFAS.
- The Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA) in the 2024/5 financial year has disbursed approximately 552 million to youth owned enterprises.
This should serve as restoring hope that help is on the way, the youth who have not yet benefited from these initiatives will eventually be reached. The youth must be unrelenting and uncompromising in demanding more and positioning themselves to receive these opportunities, armed with skills, qualifications and innovative ideas.
I support Budget Vote 1
I Thank You.