President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on business to do more on its part to empower particularly the country’s youth in being more work ready, given the current educational mismatch in terms of skills and industries.

The President was giving the keynote address at the National Business Initiative’s (NBI) 30th birthday celebration taking place in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday.

National Business Initiative (NBI) 30th Anniversary https://t.co/IEscC5fibS

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) April 23, 2026

The President praises the NBI for pioneering initiatives that have supported transformation, the improvement of service delivery and spearheading skills development programmes.

Ramaphosa says the organisation made a significant contribution to the democratic project of the country in the early 1990s and was driven by a progressive mentality that sought to benefit wider society.

“It actively supported the work of the Independent Electoral Commission and mobilised private sector support for the Reconstruction and Development Programme.  When the Consultative Business Movement merged with the Urban Foundation in 1995 to form the NBI, it represented rebirth but also continuity. The organisation had already cemented its reputation as a credible, non-partisan and pragmatic partner in the cause of building a new South Africa.”

While praising the strides that business has made to the fortunes of the country thus far, the President bemoans the country’s continued structural high unemployment levels, and calls on business to do more to assist in ensuring that the youth are empowered to better learn skills to enable them to be more work ready than they are currently.

“I must say this is one area that we still need to panel beat into a much better shape and I’ve heard a number of you – some of you sitting here – talking about this and I would like to carrel you so that we work on this and produce a skills and job pairing system that will be second to none. I’ve been overjoyed when I’ve gone to countries such as Germany and Switzerland when I’ve seen how they’re able to take young people, skill them and immediately have them placed in jobs.”

The President reiterates that the government was doing its part to push the structural reform agenda, which includes improving areas like the energy and logistics sectors, as well as helping to turn around local government, among other issues.

This, ultimately to make the country  more attractive for investment and for business players to stay for the long-haul in helping to grow the economy and jobs.

NBI 30th Anniversary | President Ramaphosa delivers keynote address