aneleThis Youth Month, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Youth Leadership and Activism Programme calls on all sectors of society to recommit to meaningful youth development. Not through slogans, but through real action, real inclusion, and real investment in youth-led change, in honour of the spirit of 1976.
49 years since the Soweto Uprising, South Africa’s young people continue to confront the compounded legacies of inequality, exclusion, and injustice. Today’s battlegrounds may have shifted. From classrooms to social media, from township streets to the corridors of Parliament. The demands remain consistent, access to quality education, dignified and sustainable work, accountable leadership, and safety in our communities and schools.
Through our expanding Youth Leadership and Activism Programme, active in 54 communities across five Gauteng regions, we are witnessing what happens when young people are trusted with power and equipped with the right tools. The programme includes:
- Youth Clubs driving community engagement and critical dialogue on social issues
- Computer training and academic support, in partnership with Lenmed and Lawley Thuto Lefa Secondary School, to enhance learning and employment readiness
- Leadership development through camps and ongoing capacity-building
- Civic education and youth integrity campaigns to combat corruption and misinformation
- A growing National Youth Coalition amplifying youth voices on key policy matters
- Community screenings and election observer participation, strengthening democratic engagement
- The launch of our #50CommunityCampaigns #50MicroGrants initiative, empowering 50 youth-led projects focused on improving local communities
This is youth leadership in action; and it is more necessary than ever.
We welcome, with cautious optimism, the recently announced National Dialogue as a step towards healing and democratic renewal. But for it to succeed, young people must be deeply involved. Not as tokens, but as equal partners in shaping South Africa’s future. The process must be inclusive, transparent, and bold enough to tackle difficult issues. Issues such as youth unemployment, xenophobia, safety in schools, and the full inclusion of young people in decision-making spaces.
We reject the narrative that youth are apathetic. Across our programmes, we see the opposite. Young people are stepping up to lead, to organise, to serve, and to speak truth to power.
As we mark Youth Month 2025, we reaffirm:
- Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of now
- Civic education and ethical leadership must be core to youth development
- Public and private institutions must open up meaningful spaces for youth participation
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems must be strengthened so youth can thrive with dignity and innovation
The youth of today face complex challenges. Issues that range from climate concerns and corruption to unemployment and misinformation. Yet, we are seeing a generation rising, choosing to lead, to serve, and to demand justice. It is our collective responsibility to support them, amplify their voices, and stand beside them.
Let Youth Month 2025 be more than a commemoration. Let it be a call to action.
Nothing about the youth, without the youth!
Ends
Issued by:
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Youth Leadership and Activism Programme
For media inquiries, please contact:
Anele Gcwabe
Communications Manager
Ahmed Kathrada Foundation
083-278-8832
anele@kathradafoundation.org
