Deputy President Paul Mashatile has urged South African youth to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the post-1994 democratic breakthrough.

Mashatile addressed the high-level G20 intergenerational roundtable on Friday.

“The G20 provides South Africa with a strategic opportunity to frame global policy discussions around the capabilities of young people as agents of inclusive economic transformation and sustainability,” he said.

Mashatile said it was necessary for him to acknowledge that youth around the world, including South Africa, are confronted with a complicated terrain of potential and difficulties.

“Indeed, we have achieved political freedom, yet economic freedom remains elusive. Hence, the involvement of young people in tackling current issues such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty remains as crucial as during the apartheid era.

The question that confronts us, therefore, is how can we further involve young people in addressing these challenges?” he asked.

According to Mashatile, the country needs to create opportunities for meaningful participation in solutions and decision-making processes.

This involves ensuring that individuals have access to education and opportunities that improve their skills, support youth-led initiatives, and promote inclusive economic growth.

“We need to turn our attention to youth capabilities and development to empower young people to unleash their untapped potential. When we invest in youth development, we tap into this potential and convert it into a force for positive change and sustainable development,” he said.

Mashatile was speaking under the theme “Building Youth Capabilities for a Developmental State: Advancing Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”, which he stated was an imperative.

“Investing in the capabilities of young people is essential for achieving meaningful solidarity, enduring equality, and sustainable development. This presents an opportunity for the African people to take charge of their development.

“It is a call to reshape the global order toward justice, equity, and sustainability through the leadership and capabilities of our youth,” Mashatile explained.

He called on the youth to consistently devise strategies to advocate for change.

Mashatile said that in the past, the youth led protests and organised themselves, and frequently opposed the status quo and strived for a more promising future.

He promised that the government would anchor youth inclusion in every major pillar of South Africa’s G20 presidency.

“As South Africa prepares for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November, we do so with the consciousness that global leadership must be grounded in domestic credibility and continental solidarity.

“The developmental state we seek to build is not a theoretical construct; it must be a living architecture built on the capabilities, aspirations, and contributions of its young people,” said the deputy president.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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