The Momentum Group Foundation, recently hosted the Masibambisane – Thriving Together event, which brought together leaders from the public and private sectors, civil society, and youth entrepreneurs to address the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa, which presently has reached well over a staggering 60%. With more than a third of the country’s youth unemployed, the event highlighted the need for collaborative efforts and partnerships across sectors to get more young people into employment and to address the underlying challenges experienced by the country’s youth.
Through concerted collaboration efforts, stakeholders aim to create sustainable employment and entrepreneurial opportunities by focusing on empowering young people in townships and rural areas—where the impact of unemployment is most severe. By addressing these communities’ unique challenges, the entity seeks to uplift entire communities in order to drive meaningful, long-term change.
“We recognise that the time to start curbing youth unemployment is now, and this is how: no single entity can tackle this crisis alone. It requires deliberate and concerted partnerships between corporates, government, and civil society. By working together, we can make a lasting impact. Without this level of collaboration, any effort to address youth unemployment will fall short of making a meaningful contribution,” said Dumo Mbethe, Executive Director of Momentum Group.
Mbethe highlighted that, since the adoption of the youth employment strategy in 2019, the Foundation has reached over 50,637 youth, trained more than 2,200 individuals, placed 1,456 into jobs, and supported 84 entrepreneurs. Behind each of these numbers are real stories of young people who have gained new skills, found employment, and started their own businesses through The Foundation’s Consumer Financial Education (CFE) programmes and Socio-Economic Development focus on youth employment. “While we are proud of these achievements, we are aware of the pressing need to expand our efforts. Today’s event has reinforced our belief that by working together, we can explore innovative solutions and drive systemic change in addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis and, give back to the youth, the power of their own unique dream.”
In his keynote address at the Masibambisane event, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya, echoed the call for collective action and outlined the government’s commitment to tackling youth unemployment. “South Africa’s alarmingly high youth unemployment rate clearly demonstrates that we are in a national crisis. Proper co-ordination across key stakeholders is essential for my department and for the country. But government alone cannot solve this crisis. We need to be intentional about building a culture of entrepreneurship and working together with the private sector to empower our youth,” Sibiya said.
The Deputy Minister also spoke about the need to focus on the informal sector and small businesses, noting that empowering young entrepreneurs in these sectors would have a ripple effect on the broader economy. “If the informal sector grows, the economy will grow in parallel. We are committed to ensuring that townships and rural areas, where our young people are most affected, receive the support they need. We will continue working with the private sector to remove barriers like red tape and improve access to funding,” Sibiya added.
The event also saw contributions from leading voices such as youth entrepreneur, 27-year-old Godiragetse Mogajane, Founder of Delivery Ka Speed, who shared insights on how creating opportunities directly in the communities where youth live can have an immediate impact. “We need to create employment hubs in places like Soweto and Hammanskraal instead of focusing on urban centres like Sandton. By bringing opportunities to our youth, we empower them to be mobile, access credit, and see their dreams realised,” Mogajane said.
A central theme that naturally emerged throughout the event was the recognition that youth are not a homogenous group, and addressing their personal challenges requires more than just skills development. Nazeem Hendricks, one of the speakers and Senior Finance Specialist and Team Leader within the National Treasury’s R9-billion Jobs Fund, emphasised the need for a deeper understanding of the issues facing young people, stating, “We need to look at the root causes of problems like poverty, bullying, and broken homes before we can begin to fix the youth unemployment crisis. Youth pathways are not linear, and we must engage with them personally throughout the process to support their journey.”
In his closing remarks, Dan Moyane, Chairperson of Momentum Group Foundation, underscored the urgency for decisive, collective action. “The time for waiting has passed. We must act now. It is critical that we adopt a pragmatic approach and work collaboratively to empower our young people. By identifying and leveraging the opportunities available, we can ensure that our youth are adequately prepared for success in today’s world,” said Moyane.
The Masibambisane – Thriving Together event marked a landmark moment in the collective efforts to tackle youth unemployment, setting the stage for future partnerships and initiatives across all sectors that will put South Africa’s youth into employment and drive economic growth.
