By Johnathan Paoli

In celebration of Youth Day, Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has highlighted the national government’s recognition of sport as a transformative tool in youth development.

She said sport could unite communities, empower young people and connect them to educational opportunities.

Nkabane made an appearance at the annual Matsila Soccer Tournament held at the Mathabani Soccer Grounds in Majosi Village, Limpopo.

“Sport and education are not separate tracks, they are parallel forces that must work together if we are to truly transform the future of our youth. Events like these build unity, foster social cohesion and remind our young people that they are not forgotten. They are the future and we must equip them with both the skills and the spirit to lead,” Nkabane said.

Hosted by the Matsila Foundation and led by Chief Livhuwani Matsila, the event, now a flagship event in the Vhembe region, attracted thousands of community members, youth and local leaders, all gathering under the banner of sportsmanship, pride, and development.

The minister emphasised the importance of post-school education and training in combating unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

“As the Post-School Education and Training sector, we are re-engineering the curriculum to respond to the demands of the modern economy. We do not want young people to be spectators in the country’s economic development, they must be central players,” Nkabane said.

Before kick-off, the minister took time to engage directly with youth in attendance, encouraging them to apply early to higher education institutions and to take advantage of National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding opportunities.

She reiterated her call for communities to support both academic and athletic pursuits.

The Matsila Soccer Tournament, which saw 16 teams competing over several weeks for a prize pool of R35,000 and more, is one of the largest community-driven youth sports events in Limpopo.

This year’s champions, Vhangani FC, lifted the trophy to the thunderous cheers of their supporters, with Nkabane and Matsila handing over the awards at the closing ceremony.

Matsila, the visionary behind the tournament, praised the impact of youth sports on social development.

“We don’t have much, but what we offer can change lives. Some of these boys may one day play for national teams, but more importantly, they learn discipline, teamwork and ambition,” he said.

Nkabane echoed this sentiment, stating that sport taught resilience, and when paired with education, became a weapon against poverty and hopelessness.

The minister made it clear that commemorating Youth Day should not be about ceremony alone, but about action.

“We are here not just to remember the past, but to build a future. One where no child is left behind because of where they were born or how much money they have,” she declared.

Nkabane said that the tournament has proven once again that when sport, education and leadership came together, communities thrived and youth were inspired to rise.

“This is not just a tournament. It is a movement. A celebration of our youth, our culture and our dreams for a better South Africa,” she said.

Matsila announced intentions to involve more local businesses in next year’s tournament to grow the platform and provide even more opportunities for youth development.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for urgent education reform, facilitating greater opportunities for graduates and encouraging skills development as a national priority in addressing the scourge of youth unemployment in the country.

Delivering the keynote address during the Youth Day commemoration at North-West University’s Rag Farm Stadium under the theme “Skills for a Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation”, Mashatile placed the future of South Africa’s youth at the centre of the nation’s developmental agenda.

“In this regard, this year’s theme is more relevant to the noble cause for which the generation of 1976 and those who came before them were prepared to lay down their lives. It embodies the essence of what we aim to achieve together – a future where our youth are not just empowered, but actively engaged in shaping a better tomorrow,” Mashatile said.

Celebrating the progress made in education, the deputy president noted the leap in the national matric pass rate, from 58% in 1994 to 87.3% in 2025, and the substantial expansion of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, which now supported over 1.1 million students.

“While we are not yet where we want to be, we are far removed from the inequality inherited at the dawn of democracy,” Mashatile said.

He highlighted racial and gender transformation in higher education, citing that Black students now made up 80% of enrolments and women accounted for more than 60% of tertiary graduates.

Yet he acknowledged the severity of the youth unemployment crisis.

“More than 3.8 million young people are not in education, employment or training. Even graduates are struggling — nearly one in four remains unemployed. This is not just an economic issue. It is a moral emergency,” he said.

Mashatile emphasised that education reform must align with the rapidly evolving demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

He referenced government strategies such as the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy and the Digital Economy Masterplan and called for revolutionising learning practices.

The deputy president said the newly launched South African National Service Institute would provide structured practical training in artificial intelligence, robotics, energy and agriculture.

Mashatile called for a cultural shift, reiterating that entrepreneurship was one of the keys to building a better future.

This was echoed by National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) executive deputy chairperson Karabo Mohale, who issued a passionate plea for a youth-centered economy.

“Young people are not looking for handouts. They are looking for a chance to contribute. Turn labs into launch pads. Fund youth-led innovations. Create jobs where young people live in rural areas and townships,” she urged.

The NYDA’s initiatives, including the Youth Challenge Fund and the Grant Programme, were aimed to catalysing entrepreneurship, particularly for those without traditional employment access.

In his address, North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi acknowledged the province’s status as having the highest unemployment rate in the country.

He maintained the provincial government was taking action, referencing the recruitment of 2000 youth into a R57 million dry beans farming initiative and the launch of artisanal training for 3000 youth in collaboration with the SA National Defence Force.

He also celebrated ongoing infrastructure and bursary investments, noting that 700,000 learners were currently attending no-fee schools, and over 480 youth would be trained in AI and robotics over the next two years.

“Let us remember, revolution is not just about slogans,” he said, quoting Pan Africanist revolutionary Thomas Sankara. “It is the transformation of reality to improve the concrete situation of our people.”

While celebrations carried on, protests flared in the nearby Ikageng township, where residents barricaded roads demanding water, sanitation and employment in public works programmes.

Mokgosi acknowledged these frustrations.

“We are working with municipalities daily to address these service issues. These youth are not forgotten,” he said.

The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union issued a strong statement demanding concrete action.

“We must go beyond slogans. Invest in quality education that responds to 4IR. Expand access to technical training and support youth-led businesses,” Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said.

Cembi cited youth unemployment statistics from the first quarter, describing the 46.1% unemployment increase among youth, with 4.8 million young people without jobs, as a betrayal of the sacrifices of 1976.

Concluding his address, Mashatile called for collective responsibility.

“The future belongs to our young people. We must open the doors of learning wide enough so that no youth is left behind,” he said.

He added a reminder that some young people have stopped believing, describing the country as standing at a crossroads between historical memory and future opportunity, between policy and lived reality.

Earlier in the day, Mashatile, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Sports and Recreation Minister Gayton McKenzie handed over a multi-purpose sport facility of Promosa Secondary School in Potchefstroom.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Gordon A. Gow

Today’s large language models (LLMs) process information across disciplines at unprecedented speed and are challenging higher education to rethink teaching, learning and disciplinary structures.

As AI tools disrupt conventional subject boundaries, educators face a dilemma: some seek to ban these tools, while others are seeking ways to embrace them in the classroom.

Both approaches risk missing a deeper transformation that was predicted 60 years ago by Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan.

McLuhan’s insights can help educators — and all of us grappling with the meaning, uses and misuses of AI — to think about how to cultivate a new mindset, one that integrates human agency and machine capabilities consciously and critically.

‘Oracle of the electric age’

In the mid-1960s, McLuhan published Understanding Media, earning a reputation as the “oracle of the electric age.”

In the chapter, “Automation: Learning a Living,” McLuhan opens with a provocative observation: “Little Red Schoolhouse Dies When Good Road Built.” Technological change, he suggested, doesn’t merely augment existing systems — it transforms them.

While roads once expanded access to specialized education, automation reverses this logic, he argued.

This is because disciplinary boundaries are dissolved, and the intersection of learning and work is redefined. He wrote:

“Automation … not only ends jobs in the world of work, it ends subjects in the world of learning.”

McLuhan foresaw that computing would enable new forms of pattern recognition, requiring fundamentally different ways of thinking — more integrative, relational and responsive — rather than simply accelerating old methods.

Automation makes the arts mandatory

Crucially, McLuhan argued that far from making the liberal arts obsolete, automation makes them mandatory. In an age where machine intelligence is integrated into communication and creativity, the humanities, with their focus on cultural understanding, ethical reasoning and imaginative expression, become more essential than ever.

To navigate this landscape, we can borrow from complex systems researcher Stuart Kauffman’s concept of the “adjacent possible,” as developed in author and innovation expert Steven Johnson’s theory of innovation.

The “adjacent possible” refers to the set of opportunities and innovations that become accessible when new combinations of existing ideas and technologies are explored.

This gives rise to what I refer to as AI-adjacency: a framework that treats artificial intelligence not as a replacement for human intelligence, but as a partner in strategic collaboration and creative inquiry.

6 ways AI can be a partner in creative inquiry

1. Critical discernment

AI-adjacent learning begins with critical discernment: the ability to assess intellectual and cultural value regardless of whether AI was involved in the creation process.

When game designer Jason Allen’s AI-assisted image, Théâtre D’opéra Spatial, won first place in a digital arts competition at the 2022 Colorado State Fair — and Allen shared information about it on social media — controversy ensued.

Commenters were unsure how to evaluate artistic merit when creative direction is shared with AI. Allen reportedly spent more than 80 hours crafting over 600 text prompts in Midjourney, and also digitally altered the work. The debate illustrates how critical discernment moves beyond detecting AI use to asking deeper questions about authorship, effort and esthetic judgment.

2. Strategic collaboration

Strategic collaboration requires nuanced decision-making about when and how to involve AI tools in a creative process. A recent study reports that “the impact of ChatGPT as a feedback tool on students’ writing skills was positive and significant.”

As one student in the study noted: “When you use ChatGPT in a classroom with your classroom, you’re doing it with several people. So much talk going on simultaneously! It’s kinda cool. The conversations are so meaningful and without noticing, we are working together and writing.”

The value here is in an AI-facilitated collaboration that encourages students to become more interested in learning how to express themselves through writing.

3. Voice and vision stewardship

Stewarding voice and vision means ensuring that technology serves individual expression, not the other way around. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, with varied instructors, students are encouraged to explore AI’s varied potential uses in enhancing their creative process. If it’s used, instructors emphasize outputs must reflect the artist’s own style, not just the algorithm’s fluency. This fosters self-awareness and creative authorship amid technological collaboration.

4. Cultural and social responsibility

AI tools are not neutral, but they can be powerful allies when developed with cultural and social responsibility. Researchers on Vancouver Island are developing AI voice-to-text technology specifically for Kwak’wala, an endangered Indigenous language.

Sara Child, a Kwagu’ł band member and professor in Indigenous education leading the project, told CBC that by “building the technology tool, the speech recognition tool, we can tap into that amazing resource that will help us recapture and reclaim language that is trapped in archives.”

Unlike existing systems designed for English, this AI must be built from scratch because Kwak’wala is verb-centred rather than noun-based.

The project demonstrates how AI can amplify marginalized voices. In this case, Indigenous communities control the development process and cultural knowledge remains in community hands.

5. Adaptive expertise

Adaptive expertise means knowing when to innovate beyond routine solutions. Medical education researchers Brian J. Hess and colleagues define it as “the capacity to apply not only routinized procedural approaches but also know when the situation calls for creative innovative solutions.”

In an AI-integrated world, students must distinguish between when AI-generated responses are appropriate and can enhance productivity, versus when situations require human, slower, in-depth thinking and creative analysis.

For example, history students can use AI to quickly process archival materials and identify patterns, but must also learn how to use AI to help them interpret the cultural significance of those patterns, which requires innovative analytical approaches grounded in a liberal arts education.

6. Creative and intellectual agency

Creative and intellectual agency represents a central pillar of humanities education, rooted in the German concept of Bildung, which is developing oneself through critical engagement with complex ideas.

This principle of cultivating independent thinking and deep attention to challenging problems remains essential in an AI-integrated world. The challenge facing higher education is find ways to amplify intellectual agency through creative collaboration with AI tools. At Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, humanities students work with computer scientists to develop interdisciplinary courses like “Algorithms and Social Justice,” which involves applying humanistic perspectives throughout data analysis processes.

McLuhan’s warning: loss of self-awareness

McLuhan also offered a powerful warning through the myth of Narcissus in Understanding Media.

Contrary to popular view, McLuhan argued Narcissus didn’t fall in love with himself; instead, he mistook his reflection for someone else.

This “extension of himself by mirror,” McLuhan writes, “numbed his perceptions until he became the servomechanism of his own extended … image” — meaning, Narcissus became dependent on his own reflection.

The real danger of AI isn’t replacement. It’s the loss of self-awareness. We risk becoming passive users of our own technological extensions and allowing them to shape how we think, create and learn without realizing it. In McLuhan’s terms, we become tools of our tools.

AI-adjacent practices offer a way out. By engaging consciously with technology through the six dimensions, students learn to use AI critically and creatively — without surrendering their agency.

Gordon A. Gow is the Director of Media & Technology Studies at the University of Alberta.

The Conversation

By Staff Reporter

The South African team from the Centre for High Performance Computing has come second place in recent the online component of the International Student Cluster Competition in Hamburg, Germany.

The CHPC is a pillar of the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System and is supported by the Science, Technology and Innovation Department.

“The team’s outstanding achievement reaffirms South Africa’s growing presence in the field of high-performance computing and demonstrates how investing in youth skills development can yield world-class results,” the department said in a statement.

The team – comprising six students and one reserve from leading South African universities – beat 21 other university teams from across the globe, showing remarkable skill, resilience and teamwork throughout the competition.  

The members are:

Kapil Ramlall – Electrical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand

Thina Calana – Computer Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)

Lisa Pitsi – Computer Science, University of the Western Cape

Tebogo Diraditsile – Computer Engineering, CPUT

Allen Van Dieman – Computer Engineering, CPUT

Abdullah Jaffer – Computer Engineering, CPUT

Anna Lukose (reserve member) – Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cape Town

The department said guided by their mentors and equipped with a 3-node high-performance computing cluster sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, the team demonstrated excellence in performance, energy efficiency and technical presentation.

“The CHPC has a proud history of producing top-tier student teams that have consistently ranked among the best in the world.  This year’s result continues that legacy, proving once again that South African youth are not only ready for the challenges of the future, but are already shaping it,” it said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lungile Ntimba

In an effort to drive digital literacy and enhance education, Cell C and the Basic Education Department have handed over a fully equipped digital lab to Sozama Secondary School in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. 

This initiative forms part of a broader commitment to bridge the digital divide by empowering under-resourced schools with needed tools to thrive in a technology-driven world.

Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes said the company was fully committed to bridging the digital divide in the country through ongoing collaboration with the department.

“These digital labs don’t just provide evidence of our fight against digital exclusion, but also represent the hopes and dreams of the students at Sozama Secondary School. And, we are very honoured to be part of an initiative that does not only provide connectivity, but also offers a gateway to a world of possibilities,” said Mendes. 

The lab features a high-performance server, a projector for interactive teaching methods, and 40 laptops powered by Cell C data that will ensure uninterrupted access to online learning resources. 

The advanced C3 Micro Cloud solution integrated in the laptops provides access to a curriculum-aligned e-learning platform, complete with courses and lesson packs.

“This fully equipped digital lab will bring the students closer to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and equip them with the needed resources to be present and excel in today’s fast-paced digital world,” said Mpumalanga education MEC Catherine Dlamini.

“The digital lab will not only fuel the minds that will lead the future of Mpumalanga, but hopefully go on to lead our beautiful country.”

Mendes said that by championing digital education, Cell C was advancing access to technology and supporting the government’s sustainable development goals, including the drive for quality education and digital equity.

Cell C chairman Joe Mthimunye said empowering young people with digital tools and access to quality education was one of the most meaningful ways to invest in the future.

“Initiatives like these show what’s possible when we focus on creating opportunities that nurture talent, unlock potential and help build a generation ready to lead in a digital world,” he said. 

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The African National Congress has come in defence of party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, after lobby group AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit laid criminal charges against him and others over comments relating to the alleged rape of a seven-year-old Bergview College pupil in Matatiele.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said her party noted with concern the criminal charges brought against Mbalula, denouncing AfriForum’s actions as disingenuous, ideologically driven and flawed.

“We will not apologise for speaking out in defence of the voiceless. To be silent, to be overly cautious, to apologise for speaking out, is to betray the pain of the survivor and the broader struggle against patriarchal violence,” she said.

The party reiterated its unwavering stance against gender-based violence and femicide, calling the alleged incident at the school a brutal violation demanding collective outrage and institutional accountability.

Bhengu-Motsiri described AfriForum’s legal action as an attempt to deflect attention from the pain endured by victims, saying Mbalula’s comments represented the voice of many outraged by the reported rape.

AfriForum, which is representing Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse, announced the charges last week.

These include crimen injuria, contravention of the Cybercrimes Act and intimidation, stemming from public statements made by Mbalula, EEF leader Fikile Malema and Eastern Cape education MEC Fundile Gade. They identified Pieterse as the rapist, despite no legal charges ever being brought against him.

At a press conference outside Sophiatown Police Station in Johannesburg, AfriForum spokesperson Barry Bateman condemned what he termed as distressing false accusations.

“South Africa has a rape crisis, we have a child abuse crisis, and being falsely accused of committing such a crime against a child is devastating. There must be consequences for people who falsely accuse others in the public domain,” Bateman said.

He cited comments by Mbalula referring to Pieterse as “an animal” and criticised Malema’s public declaration on 6 April that “the principal who raped Cwecwe must know we are coming for him.”

Gade, in a March television interview, had stated Pieterse was “clearly avoiding the investigation” by seeking legal assistance instead of complying with a DNA test.

According to AfriForum, these public remarks have severely damaged Pieterse’s personal and professional life.

He has been absent from work, forced to relocate with his family and reportedly received multiple threats, including one aimed at his daughter.

Bateman confirmed that AfriForum was also preparing civil litigation against former Democratic Alliance MP Phumzile Van Damme, who it accuses of perpetuating a “disinformation campaign” against Pieterse.

While the incident sparked national outrage, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute, citing inconclusive evidence.

According to NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga, after initial submissions and a medical examination, prosecutors determined that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges.

Although police initially submitted the case to prosecutors in November last year, it gained renewed attention early this year.

The docket was resubmitted for review, and the NPA reaffirmed its decision not to prosecute, citing a lack of supporting evidence.

In response to the ongoing controversy, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu rejected claims that the South African Police Service had delayed the investigation.

He said the case was investigated as soon as it was reported in October, describing any claims of inaction as a dangerous exaggeration.

The ANC said it had issued a formal statement acknowledging the police minister’s correction and reaffirming support for the survivor and her family.

“We will not be deterred from standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves,” it said.

The party called on its alliance partners, the ANC Women’s League, youth organisations, religious groups and communities to stand against what it called the criminalisation of moral clarity.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

In celebration of Youth Month, the Basic Education Department has called for the empowerment of learners through Life Skills and Life Orientation, equipping them with essential tools to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Chief director for social inclusion and partnerships in education at the department, Patricia Watson, described the launch a textbook series this week focusing on these subjects as milestone in transforming the educational landscape.

“These textbooks for Life Skills (Grades 4–6) and Life Orientation (Grades 7–12) are more than just learning materials. but roadmaps to self-discovery and empowerment,” she said.

The department in partnership with the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), officially launched the “At the Crossroads” Life Skills and Life Orientation Textbook Series at a DBE conference in Pretoria, under the theme “Skills for the Changing World: Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation”.

A total of 21 textbooks and teacher guides were unveiled. They address critical areas such as emotional intelligence, health, road safety, civic responsibility and future-focused thinking.

Watson stressed that the series aligned with a broader national vision of preparing young people for meaningful economic participation.

“Our tagline this year as a nation is Gear Up for Greatness. This is not just a slogan, but a challenge to reimagine education as a bridge to opportunity, linking classroom learning to real-world success,” she added.

She also emphasised the decolonial and Afro-optimistic nature of the content, explaining that the materials were designed to reflect and celebrate African heritage while preparing learners for a globally interconnected world.

“This series embodies a decolonised education. It’s Afro-optimistic, celebrating our heritage while preparing learners to engage meaningfully with the global community. It’s a bold step toward an education system that merges the mind and spirit, fostering a generation of resilient, innovative and socially conscious leaders,” Watson said.

Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule echoed these sentiments, saying the series responded directly to the needs of South Africa’s young people.

“This series empowers our learners to connect with their futures and make a positive difference in their own lives and in society,” Mhaule noted.

She highlighted the wide-ranging scope of the textbooks, which covered important areas such as health, mental well-being, sexuality, technology, safety, and civic education.

“It helps children and adolescents make informed choices about health, nutrition, safety, mental well-being, sexuality, physical fitness and technology. These textbooks also guide them in managing their emotions, maintaining healthy relationships, and understanding their civic responsibilities under South Africa’s laws and Constitution,” Mhaule said.

Road Traffic Management Corporation CEO Makhosini Msibi announced the inclusion of road safety education in the series.

“The infusion of road safety education into Life Orientation and Life Skills will help create a generation that values life and understands the responsibilities of safe road use,” said Msibi.

He praised the series for not only equipping learners with academic knowledge but also with practical tools that could directly reduce accidents and fatalities among youth.

The NECT, which has played a key role in developing and coordinating the release of the series, reaffirmed its commitment to accessible, equitable education.

NECT CEO Godwin Khosa called for shared responsibility in ensuring the success of this initiative.

“As we unveil these textbooks today, we must remember that their impact depends on us all. Together, we can make sure that every child in South Africa is equipped with the tools to ‘Gear Up for Greatness’. Let us honour the legacy of 1976 by creating a future where no dream is out of reach and no person’s potential is left untapped,” Khosa said.

The launch comes at a time when the department is working to align schooling outcomes with the National Development Plan.

The department said that as an open-source, state-owned resource, the series would ensure that all learners, regardless of socioeconomic status, had access to high-quality, locally relevant Life Skills and Life Orientation content.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina has led a call for gender inclusivity in the emerging green hydrogen economy.

Addressing a diverse audience of women leaders at the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) breakfast at the 2025 Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town, she launched the Green Hydrogen Mentorship Platform, which is aimed at building an inclusive, gender-responsive energy sector.

“Fundamental change depends on deliberate and inclusive implementation. We must ensure that women are not excluded from this energy transition,” she said.

Themed “Investing in a Regional Just Energy Transition: A Focus on Green Hydrogen”, the event brought together trailblazing women from government, academia, business and civil society.

The mentorship platform, developed through collaboration between the departments of Science, Technology and Innovation, Higher Education and Training, and the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority, seeks to connect emerging talent with seasoned professionals to advance equitable growth in the hydrogen sector.

The platform, first introduced at the 2023 World Hydrogen Summit in Germany, has already garnered strong international support.

Gina stressed that South Africa’s hydrogen policy frameworks, including the Hydrogen Society Roadmap, the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy, and the Just Transition Framework, must deliver real transformation.

Gina noted that women accounted for only 23% of STEM professionals in South Africa, and fewer than 17% held leadership roles.

She said the country could not afford to replicate the exclusionary patterns of the past, urging participants to commit to mentorship and collaborative leadership.

Her sentiments were echoed by Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Mimmy Gondwe, who described the mentorship platform as a “strategic lever for change”.

She highlighted the platform’s potential to bridge gaps in knowledge and opportunity for women and youth, especially in remote or underserved areas.

Electricity and Energy Deputy Minister Samantha Graham-Maré launched her department’s new gender guide at the event.

In her keynote address, she underscored the urgency of gender mainstreaming.

“Africa’s abundant renewable resources, expansive land and access to critical minerals put us in a globally competitive position for hydrogen development. But economic growth without gender equality is fragile,” she warned.

African Union Commission infrastructure and energy commissioner Lerato Mataboge called for gender equity to be embedded across Africa’s green hydrogen value chain.

“If we are to get green hydrogen right, then gender equality must be part of the equation. This is not a nice-to-have, it is a necessity,” Mataboge declared.

She outlined critical actions, namely expanding energy access for women and communities, channelling support for women and youth entrepreneurship, investing in STEM education, creating gender-responsive policies and workplaces, and showcasing African women’s leadership.

The breakfast concluded with a panel discussion led by Charles Dos Santos, who presented methods for hydrogen transport, and energy experts from Japan and Korea who shared international hydrogen policy insights and affirmed commitment to collaboration with Africa.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Department described the event as marking a strategic turning point for women in Africa’s green hydrogen future, calling for the continent’s energy transition to be just, inclusive and led by all.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for national mobilisation to unlock the potential of youth through entrepreneurship as a strategy for tackling South Africa’s deepening unemployment crisis.

In an address delivered at the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator offices in Johannesburg under the theme “Enabling Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Youth Economic Inclusion”, Mashatile warned that youth unemployment, which was currently at a staggering 56.3%, was not only an economic dilemma but a “social and moral emergency”.

“As Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council, I have prioritised the creation of platforms where social partners can find solutions to our human capital bottlenecks. We are determined to reverse the legacy of exclusion and inequality by investing in the entrepreneurial spirit of our youth,” Mashatile said.

The event, hosted by non-profit social enterprise platform enterprise, which focuses on connecting young people to work opportunities, brought together youth leaders, entrepreneurs, business stakeholders and government officials for a robust engagement on economic inclusion.

Mashatile situated the youth’s struggle for economic emancipation within the historical context of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, praising the sacrifices of that generation who “stood against the chains of apartheid’s cruelty”.

He urged today’s young people to take up a new mantle in the fight against economic exclusion, technological displacement and inequality.

The deputy president outlined the realities of exclusion of 9.2 million young South Africans not in education, employment, or training. The number is expected to grow by 600,000 each year.

With economic growth projected at just 1.8%, the formal labour market cannot absorb this influx.

“Our economy is simply not growing fast enough. Entrepreneurship must therefore be viewed not as an alternative, but a necessity,” he said.

He pointed to a suite of government-led interventions designed to empower young entrepreneurs.

These included the National Youth Development Agency Grant Programme and Youth Challenge Fund, the Innovation Fund that has supported 96 start-ups since 2020, the Transformation Fund which is set to disburse R20 billion annually over the next five years to black-owned and historically disadvantaged businesses, and the Spaza Shop Support Fund, which commits R500 million to revitalise township and rural informal trade.

“These are not handouts, they are investments in your potential,” Mashatile declared.

He also highlighted the Public Procurement Act, which prioritised inclusive procurement and local value chains as a powerful lever to connect young entrepreneurs to economic opportunities.

Further support would be provided through the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill, aimed at reducing red tape and ensuring targeted support for youth-led businesses.

Mashatile outlined the government’s commitment to integrating youth into the digital economy through the Digital Economy Masterplan and National Digital and Future Skills Strategy, which focus on expanding digital infrastructure, skills training and innovation.

He also celebrated the SA Youth Platform (sayouth.mobi), a flagship initiative of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention.

Through partnerships with entities like Harambee, the platform facilitates access to job opportunities and career support.

“One of the most exciting examples of impact is the Basic Education Employment Initiative,” Mashatile said.

Now in its fifth phase, it recently placed 205,000 young people in schools across the country, a record for youth employment in South Africa.

The deputy president commended Harambee’s contact centre team for processing 17.9 million applications in just three weeks.

He urged everyone attending the event to work towards unity and innovation in dealing with the country’s youth unemployment crisis.

“Let us work together to create an enabling environment that nurtures entrepreneurial spirit and fosters a culture of resilience,” he said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Akani Nkuna

Higher Education Deputy Minister Mimmy Gondwe has underscored the urgent need for intentional upskilling among students to meet the evolving demands of the modern workforce, while ensuring that entities which financially support them get value for their money.

Gondwe was speaking during the launch of the Sasol Project Industry Engineering Internship Programme with New Age Engineering Solutions in Secunda, Mpumalanga, where she highlighted the importance of aligning academic programmes with industry needs to drive economic growth.

“Lots of young people are being trained, reskilled and upskilled but following that, what happens? We cannot just skill and train for the sake of skilling and training. We should ensure that as many of those students are absorbed into the economy,” she said.

The launch, which was facilitated by the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), forms part of the government’s effort to combat youth unemployment. It also highlights the critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges in national development.

The absorption rate of those in internship programmes into the labour market was recorded at 40%, a figure Gondwe described as worrisome.

She demanded that more be done to ensure that it increased, guaranteeing that many students were absorbed into the workplace.

“We need to do more. I think we are lagging behind in terms of ensuring that immediately when they leave our sector they go in somewhere else, they do not go home and sit there with a piece of paper in their hands,” Gondwe said.

EWSETA CEO Mpho Mookapele pointed out that several TVET lecturers returned last week from a visit in China where they were trained in manufacturing renewable energy components, which helped addressed inadequate resourcing and skilling of TVET lectures.

“We want to build and be proud of our public schools and also be proud of our public TVET colleges. We cannot only be driving our children to universities… the reality is that public colleges and TVET colleges should be actually the number one go too, because it really responds directly to what our industry requires,” said Mookapele.

Mookapele further expressed discontentment at the lack of interest young South Africans have shown towards certain job opportunities, including appliance repair technicians, saying EWSETA was looking at ways to address that.

“We have partnered with National Institute if Vocational and Technical Education (NIVTE) and other partners to look at how do we get young people interested in these vocations and also taking the opportunity and resigning from work to start their own businesses,” she added.

New Age Engineering Solutions Internship Programme beneficiary Dimpho Kwashu, who has an education degree from Unisa, told Inside Education that the transition into the technical environment had been stimulating, even though she had encouraged a few challenges.

“It has been very much challenging [coming from a theoretical education background], however, the transitioning has been informative. I have learnt a lot from the people that were mentoring me. I have, not just one mentor, but so many mentors,” she said.

Kwashu was inducted into the programme as a facilitator intern in 2023 where she was planning and presenting lessons to pipe fitter trainees, and she has since stayed at the company as a facilitator.

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