Programme Director, Ms Zengeziwe Msimang;
Board Chairperson of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Ms Tandi Nzimande;
Chief Executive Officer of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Ms Kasthuri Soni;
Distinguished Guests;

And most importantly, the young people gathered here today;

Good Morning,

It is a privilege to address this gathering on a subject that is fundamental to South Africa's future: the potential of our youth to reimagine and reshape the country's economy and society.

The important topic of "Enabling Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Youth Economic Inclusion", is most relevant as it seeks to contextualise what is an effective strategy for achieving economic inclusion that advantages both youth and the country. 

As the Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council in Government, I have made it our objective to reduce the scourge of poverty, inequality and unemployment through creating platforms for social partners to deliberate on the country’s skills and human capital development in order to address bottlenecks in the human resource development value chain.

We believe that providing young people with the skills they need to become entrepreneurs is crucial to our society's success, especially given the road we have travelled in reversing post-apartheid laws that barred the majority from participating in the economy.

This is a road that was paved by the youth of 1976. Today we are gathered here 49 years after the youth of 1976 courageously opposed legislation intended to marginalise them economically, and was designed to confine them to roles as ordinary labourers—“hewers of wood and drawers of water.”

Faithful to the call, the 1976 generation has gifted us the political freedom, which is important for democratic governance, human rights, and economic growth. 

As we honour their contribution during this Youth Month, let their spirit shine within us, igniting our quest to forge a new economy—one that embraces all, guided by the talent, creativity, and brilliance.

Like the brave souls of youth in 1976, who stood against the chains of apartheid's cruelty, today's youth must rise, in quest of economic freedom. Together, we should confront economic inequality, unemployment, and a growing digital divide as well as navigate globalisation and rapid technological progress.

In South Africa, youth unemployment has reached crisis levels. 

The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey data delivered its bleakest message: that the expanded youth unemployment among young people aged 18–34 years has, in the first quarter of 2025, reached one of its highest points ever - at 56.3%. This is a continuation of the downward spiral trend that began in 2015 and was only interrupted by an even steeper fall during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of you gathered here today know all too well what it means to be without work – locked out of the economy and unable to earn an income. It is disheartening; it is discouraging, and it takes resilience and an enduring sense of hope to overcome. 

Most importantly, it requires support from family, Government, the private sector and other stakeholders. 

As Government, we are fully aware that this is not just a labour market issue; it is a social and moral emergency. 

I am encouraged by many of you in the audience today who remain hopeful about yours and the country’s future. 

I am encouraged by the several interventions currently underway as the Government leads the charge against youth economic exclusion in partnership with stakeholders from across society, including the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.

In our partnership, we must also address the issue of access to education in our country. There are 9.2 million young people in our country who are not in education, employment, or training. 

Even more shockingly, this number is set to increase by approximately 600 000 annually. With the economy projected to grow only at 1.8%, we must accept that the formal economy is not growing at the rate required to absorb the large number of youth entering the labour market annually.

As part of a solution to this challenge, youth who are not in employment, education, or training should consider entrepreneurship as a viable pathway for employment and self-reliance. 

Our National Development Plan: Vision 2030, places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and small businesses as crucial drivers of economic growth and job creation.

We need to collaborate to change the mentality of young people by bringing to light opportunities that are available for those who choose to pursue entrepreneurship.

Government offers various programmes to support young entrepreneurs, including financial assistance, business development services, and skills training.

Key initiatives include the National Youth Development Agency’s Grant Programme, and the Youth Challenge Fund. 

To ensure increased access to funding, we have the Innovation Fund, which has already supported over 96 start-ups since 2020. 

Moreover, we have recently launched the Transformation Fund worth R20 billion per year over the next five years. 

The fund targets increased participation of Black-owned businesses and historically disadvantaged groups, focusing on enterprise and Supplier Development and Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes. 

These funds will act as a catalyst to attract other funds and make more funding available to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

Additionally, the Government encourages youth participation in the digital economy through initiatives such as the Digital Economy Masterplan and the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy.

These strategies focus on expanding digital infrastructure, developing digital skills, and fostering digital innovation. Through these programmes and initiatives, we are integrating youth enterprise into our economy.

This is why we are working with the private sector and civil society to scale up enterprise support, open procurement pathways, and remove red tape.

I believe that young entrepreneurs require more than hope and resilience to thrive. 

They need policy support and access to capital and markets for their goods and services. And above all, they need a coordinated ecosystem that recognises that, by working together, we can do more to create an enabling environment for young people.

Legislation and regulation must not be a burden but rather an enabler. When crafted and implemented with purpose, they provide powerful frameworks that ensure fairness, protection, and opportunity whilst promoting growth. 

This is why I am excited to welcome the passage of the Public Procurement Act of 2024. This legislation is not just a reform of how government spends; it is a powerful lever to connect young entrepreneurs to local value chains. 

It prioritises localisation, enterprise development, and inclusive procurement, allowing young people to become suppliers, service providers, and solution-builders in our economy.

As part of assisting young entrepreneurs with quick turnaround on invoice payments, we have proposed a War Room on Clean Governance. Part of the main priorities of the Clean Governance War Room will be the prioritisation of the 10 to 15 day payment cycles and Transformative Procurement of small businesses.

Equally important is the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill, which places youth entrepreneurship at the centre of our small business development strategy. 

The Bill will improve regulatory coordination, ease compliance burdens, and ensure more targeted and efficient support for small enterprises, especially those owned by youth, women, and people with disabilities.

One of the most exciting announcements for youth entrepreneurs in recent months is the Spaza Shop Support Fund. 

Government has committed R500 million to revitalise township and rural economies by supporting informal retailers, many of which are youth-led enterprises.

Let me be clear: this is not a handout. It is an investment in your potential.

Given the complexity and scale of the youth unemployment crisis, government understands that there is no silver bullet. 

One game-changing tool in our arsenal to address youth unemployment is the SA Youth Platform, or SA youth.mobi which is a core component of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, a Government-led Public-Private initiative that seeks to leverage the strengths of sectors from across our economy to break the significant barriers that keep young people locked out of the economy.

Just last week, the 2nd of June 2025 marked the first day at work for 205 000 young people as part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative, making it the largest youth employment programme in South Africa’s history. The Basic Education Employment Initiative is in its fifth phase and is now funded by the Unemployment Insurance Fund Labour Activation Programme and the national government.

This national initiative is part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus and is implemented by the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Employment and Labour, as well as provincial education departments. With 22 000 schools in the programme, the Basic Education Employment Initiative truly has a national footprint – reaching every corner of this country, from rural areas to urban centres and beyond.

As I conclude, it would be remiss of me to not take this opportunity to thank you, the learners in this room who drive the contact centre, and Harambee for the role that you played as the recruitment platform for this incredibly successful phase of this ground-breaking initiative.

I am reliably informed that this team processed 17.9 million applications from 1.9 million unique applicants on SA youth.mobi in addition to handling over 800 000 interactions in just three weeks.

You accomplished this truly remarkable feat through your tireless efforts, working late night and early morning shifts throughout. 

This is what we mean when we say; there can be no solution for the youth without the youth themselves. We are grateful to you for your efforts to empower other young people.

From the Spaza Shop Fund to the SA Youth Platform and the Basic Education Employment Initiative to the Township Economy Revitalisation Strategies, these are not isolated efforts. 

They are part of a broader mission to build an economy that reflects the energy, creativity, and diversity of young people - an economy that moves forward and one that is powered by young people.

As we look ahead, let us imagine a world in which every young person has the opportunity to make their ambitions a reality, where entrepreneurship is more than a slogan but a way of life.

Let us work together to create an enabling environment that nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit and fosters a culture of innovation and resilience.

I wish you all a wonderful National Youth Day celebration on Monday. 

I look forward to the National commemoration of this day programme in Potchefstroom, in the North West Province, under the theme “Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation”.

Let me end with the slogan I learned during my days as young person, which says, “uzoyithola kanjani uhleli ekhoneni”. 

Thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Friday, 13 June 2025, visit flood-affected areas in the Eastern Cape following rising casualties and damage to infrastructure caused by the severe weather which has engulfed the OR Tambo and Amathole District Municipalities.

The President is being kept abreast by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa and Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabunyane on search and rescue efforts, and additional support needed to comprehensively respond across all levels to the devastating disaster.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at the loss of lives and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, affected communities and Eastern Cape residents at large.

President Ramaphosa will commence his oversight visit to the flood-affected sites accompanied by Minister Hlabisa, Premier Mabuyane and leaders of the disaster response.

The delegation will monitor progress on the response and will interact with affected communities on government’s support.

*MEDIA PROGRAMME*

Closed Briefing by the interdisciplinary National Disaster Management Team
Time: 11:00
Venue : O.R Tambo District Municipality Council Chamber

Site visits to the Dicoligny , Jumba High School and Slovo Park
Time: 11:30

(Media to be stationed from the first site visit)

Media logistical arrangements to the site visits can be directed to Khuselwa Rantjie, Eastern Cape Provincial Spokesperson - 082 728 7476

COGTA Ministry enquiries: Pearl Maseko-Binqose, Media Liaison Officer - 082 772 1709

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Presidency has noted various media reports on the National Dialogue that are based on incorrect or incomplete information.

In this regard, the Presidency wishes to clarify the following:

- The National Dialogue is to be an inclusive process in which all South Africans will have an opportunity to participate as individuals or through organised formations.

- The first National Convention to enable an all-inclusive process will be convened on 15 August 2025 to set the agenda for the National Dialogue. This will be followed by discussions across the country, in various sectors and on issues that citizens feel deserve national attention. These will then be grouped into agenda themes for national engagement. A second National Convention will be held in the beginning of 2026 where these discussions will be consolidated into a common national vision and implementation programme.

- The Eminent Persons Group has been appointed to champion the National Dialogue and to provide guidance to ensure that the process is inclusive and credible. It is comprised of respected individuals who have played and continue to play an important role in various areas of our national life. The Eminent Persons Group will not be responsible for the day-to-day running of activities.

- Preparations for the National Convention and other activities are currently being undertaken by a National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team made up of representatives from various foundations, civil society organisations and the Presidency. The National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team has been working for close to a year on developing the form and approach to the National Dialogue. This team will remain seized with the practical arrangements for the National Dialogue until a representative Steering Committee has been established.

- Media reports that certain foundations belonging to the stalwarts of the liberation struggle have been sidelined or overlooked are inaccurate. These foundations, together with other civil society formations that were part of the initial work, remain centrally involved in the Preparatory Task Team.

- Over the next few weeks, the National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team will undertake a series of information sessions and consultations with a range of stakeholders in preparation for the first National Convention on 15 August 2025.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya Spokesperson to the President media@presideny.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Programme Director, Adv Nsinga Qunta,
Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa,
Premier of the Western Cape, Mr Alan Winde,
Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Leaders of industry,
Development partners,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Welcome to the inaugural Africa Green Hydrogen Summit.  

This summit started out in 2022 as a platform for South African to articulate its national vision and to convene the country’s green hydrogen ecosystem. 

Now this summit provides a platform for our shared continental ambitions.

Our beloved continent Africa, the cradle of humanity, is uniquely positioned to become a major player in green hydrogen because it has abundant renewable resources manifested in high solar irradiance, strong winds and hydropower potential.  

The vast land our continent has lends itself to large-scale renewable energy projects.

We are therefore perfectly placed to leverage the global shift towards cleaner energy sources for our collective advantage.  

Green hydrogen is a way to marry Africa’s mineral riches with our renewable energy endowment to decarbonise heavy industries, to create jobs, to stimulate investment and to unlock inclusive growth across borders.  

The growing global demand for clean hydrogen as countries decarbonise their industries, transport, and energy systems presents unlimited opportunities for our continent. 

As demand for green hydrogen grows, so does demand for platinum group metals, sustaining and expanding our continent’s mining and refining industries.  

Africa is rising to meet this moment of opportunity and potential.  

The Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance brings together a number of African nations, including Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa.  

More than 52 large-scale green hydrogen projects have been announced across the continent. These include the Coega Green Ammonia project in South Africa, the AMAN project in Mauritania and Project Nour in Morocco.  

The Alliance’s ambition targets 30 to 60 million tons of green hydrogen production by 2050.  

It is estimated that this could create between two and four million new jobs in Alliance member states by 2050.  

To make use of these opportunities, we need to establish appropriate policy and regulatory environments. 

We must continue to move as a continent to develop regional certification schemes, hydrogen corridors and green product export platforms.  

We commend the work of countries like Mauritania, which has taken early steps on certification.  

It will be critical that we learn from one another and converge on standards that work for Africa.  

The recently launched Green Hydrogen Report is a consolidation of 35 underlying studies, providing the most comprehensive insight to date into the continent’s green hydrogen potential. 

A number of recent global developments further support the potential of Africa’s green hydrogen ecosystem.  

The H2Global mechanism is opening its second bidding window, with one of the four lots allocated to Africa.  

The African lot, which is funded by the German government, will guarantee off-take for successful projects on the continent.  

A Joint Declaration of Intent with the German government focuses on market access, off-take opportunities and value-additive benefits in the production of green steel and green fertiliser.

We commend the German government for its commitment to African supply. 

For South Africa’s part, we have made advances towards building the green hydrogen industry.  

To date, South Africa has invested more than R1.49 billion in our Hydrogen South Africa programme.  

Through our partnership with the European Union, we have prioritised support to projects like Sasol’s HySHiFT programme, which aims to produce up to 400,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel annually.  

The project directly supports African re-industrialisation and European energy transition goals.  

HySHiFT could anchor demand for up to 20 gigawatts of green hydrogen and represents a scalable model for industrial decarbonisation.  

The Sasolburg pilot is now producing green hydrogen for domestic use.  

In the Eastern Cape, the Coega Green Ammonia Project is at an advanced planning stage and four additional flagship hydrogen projects are expected to be submitted for Cabinet approval soon.  

The newly launched South African Renewable Energy Masterplan aligns the localisation of renewable energy and hydrogen components with industrial development and job creation.  

The expansion of the country’s electricity transmission infrastructure, which is essential to the growth of renewable energy, is now being accelerated through an Independent Transmission Projects Office.  

New wheeling regulations create an enabling environment for private power producers, especially those servicing hydrogen projects.  

These reforms demonstrate that we are not waiting. We are building.  

Major research is underway in all aspects of the green hydrogen value chain to reduce final costs.  

Early commercial exploration for naturally-occurring ‘white’ hydrogen is underway in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.  

If white hydrogen is proven to be available and commercially extractable, this will provide a further source of clean hydrogen.  

Tapping into the potential of the hydrogen economy is a matter of urgency for Africa.  

The continent has borne the brunt of climate change and the devastation it causes in communities and economies.  

We have witnessed deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, tropical cyclones and prolonged droughts.  

These events underscore our shared vulnerability, but also our shared responsibility to act, to adapt, and to do so in a way that leaves no one behind.  

At the same time we are clear that Africa must transition at a pace and scale that reflects our development priorities and our economic realities.  

We are very much alive to the reality that green hydrogen production faces a number of challenges.  

There is the cost factor.  

Capital intensity and the high costs of financing are significant barriers, as is the cost of green hydrogen relative to other energy sources such as natural gas.  

We are also contending with skewed global investment patterns.  

A number of green hydrogen projects on our continent are not being initiated or reaching financial close, due to cost of capital and perceptions of risk.  

We cannot close that gap with potential alone. We must match it with demand signals, regulatory certainty and project preparation support.  

We need to ensure that there is sufficient and growing demand.  

This includes building domestic demand in African countries.  

In this regard, the launch of green hydrogen production for mobility in Sasolburg and policy enablers for domestic offtake are important foundational steps.  

As we explore these exciting opportunities, we must work to address the impediments to the growth of this industry. 

In 2024, the International Energy Agency reduced the global 2030 hydrogen growth forecast. 

It said that the sector is now maturing and moving beyond the hype observed in recent years. 

It said that understanding among stakeholders about where the real opportunities for hydrogen lie – and where efforts must be focused – is now much stronger. 

Tempered by these realities, this Summit must not only be a platform of ideas. It must be a platform of commitments.  

We must put the African voice at the centre of global energy rule-making. 

We must be authors of our own future.  

During its G20 Presidency, South Africa has chosen to prioritise just energy transitions as engines of economic growth and social development.  

The Africa Green Hydrogen Summit is an important part of that vision. 

Hydrogen is a bridge to a new export industry for African countries.

It is an enabler for Africa’s energy independence and climate resilience. 

More importantly hydrogen is an anchor for industrial transformation and infrastructure investment.

We are called upon to join hands to build this bridge together – as Africans, as partners and as builders of a green, prosperous and inclusive future.  

I thank you.
 

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), will on Friday, 13 June 2025, participate and deliver the keynote address at the SA Youth Engagement hosted by the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator in Braamfontein, Gauteng.
 
The Deputy President’s address of this engagement is in line with the HRDC’s objective of reducing the scourge of poverty, inequality and unemployment through creating platforms for social partners to deliberate on the country’s skills and human capital development in order to address bottlenecks in the human resource development value chain.
 
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator is a not-for-profit social enterprise that works with partners to find solutions for the challenge of youth unemployment as well as working to unlock jobs and break down the barriers that keep millions of young South Africans unemployed.
 
This Engagement will be held under the theme “Enabling Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Youth Economic Inclusion”. The Engagement is expected to spotlight how practical, people-centred solutions that are driven by partnerships between government, business, and civil society can unlock the economic power of young people and shape a more inclusive future for South Africa.
 
During his address, Deputy President Mashatile will highlight the importance of not only providing young people with the necessary platforms to meaningfully participate in the economy, but also providing them with the skills required to become successful entrepreneurs who will assist in reducing the high level of unemployment faced by the country. 

In line with showcasing Harambee’s initiatives that support and prepare the youth for employment opportunities, the Deputy President will participate in a panel discussion with entrepreneurs and conduct mock interviews with candidates in the programme.

Members of the media are invited to cover the event as follows:
Date: Friday, 13 Friday 2025
Time: 09h00 (Media to arrive at 08h00)
Venue: Harambee Office at 5th Floor, 19 Ameshoff St, Braamfontein, Gauteng, South Africa
 
Members of the media wishing to cover the event are requested to confirm their attendance for accreditation purposes, with Ms. Linah Ledwaba on 066 240 7635 by end of business today.
 

Media enquiries: Mr. Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

The Office of the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, in partnership with the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, invites members of the media to attend and cover the Youth Symposium taking place from 13 to 15 June 2025 at St Peter’s Methodist Church in Scenery Park, East London.

As part of Youth Month commemorations, the symposium seeks to inspire, educate, and empower young people through access to information, support services, and opportunities in education, career development, and community leadership. The Deputy Minister will engage directly with youth, stakeholders, and institutions on programmes supporting youth empowerment.

Confirmed exhibitors and participants include:
The Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, NSFAS, Department of Labour, Department of Home Affairs, Walter Sisulu University, TVET colleges, Border Management Authority, SANCA, Masithethe Social Workers, NPA, BCMM Fire and Disaster Services, Environmental Health, the Human Rights and Missing Persons Unit, and more.

Local high schools including Uviwe Senior Secondary School, Lumko Senior Secondary School, and Greenpoint High School will also be participating.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, 13 June 2025
Time: 10h00 – 14h00
Venue: St Peter’s Methodist Church, Scenery Park, East London

Members of the media are invited to cover this important Youth Month event and engage with government and partner institutions supporting youth development and service delivery.

RSVP: Mandisa Mbele, Email: MandisaM@Presidency.gov.za, Mobile: 082 580 2213

Media enquiries: Mandisa Mbele, MandisaM@Presidency.gov.za / 082 580 2213

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria 

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Thursday, 12 June 2025, respond to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly, on wide-ranging issues related to agricultural support, addressing water shortages in the country and intensified efforts in the country's comprehensive HIV and AIDS response.

As Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Agriculture and Land Reform, the Deputy President will apprise Members of Parliament on Government efforts towards improving access to funding and resource support for small-scale and smallholder farmers, as well as supporting infrastructure development in the rural areas.

Following the withdrawal of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding by the United States government, the Deputy President will reassure the members that Government has the capacity to fund its HIV/AIDS programme and the withdrawal will not have a dire impact in the purchasing and the distribution of the anti-retrovirals.

As the Chairperson of the Water Task Team, the Deputy President will emphasise the need to enhance municipal service management and financial stability in the water sector to address water shortages in the country.

In light of the persistent and evolving threat posed by gang-related violence in both urban and peri-urban areas, the Deputy President will brief Parliament on the comprehensive strategy the Justice, Crime-Prevention and Security Cabinet Committee has implemented to dismantle organised criminal networks. 

The Deputy President will further reiterate South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law, which is a cornerstone of South Africa's democratic constitutional order.

Details of the National Assembly sitting are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Time: 14h00
Venue: Good Hope Chambers, Parliament, Cape Town

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria