Source: President of South Africa –
Programme Directors,
The Principal and Management of Eastcape Midlands TVET College led by Mr Charl Van Heerden;
The Acting Mayor, Councillor Nkwentsha, MMC for Local Economic Development;
Chief Whip of the Makhanda, Councillor Hoyi;
Dean of the Diocese, Reverend Dyantyi from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa;
Deputy Chairperson of the NYDA, Bonga Makhanya;
Representatives from the Department of Higher Education and Training;
Representatives from government departments and partner organisations;
Representatives of SAFETSA;
Members of the Student Representative Council as led by the Institutional SRC President Ms Chioma Tshonti;
And most importantly the STUDENTS OF EAST-CAPE MIDLANDS MAKHANDA CAMPUS;
Good morning.
It is a great honour to join you today as we gather to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day through this Student Leadership Dialogue and Student Services Expo.
Allow me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to Eastcape Midlands TVET College and the Department of Higher Education and Training for bringing us together for what I believe is not only a meaningful conversation, but an important investment in South Africa’s future.
Today, I stand before a hall filled with possibility. I do not simply see students, I see the future. I see future artisans who will build our infrastructure. I see future entrepreneurs who will create jobs. I see future educators who will inspire generations, innovators, public servants, and community leaders.
Most importantly, I see young South Africans who have chosen to invest in themselves because they believe that a better life is possible. That, in itself, is leadership.
As we prepare to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day on the 18th of July, we are reminded that Madiba dedicated his life to the service of others. His life was never about titles or positions. It was about purpose. It was about ensuring that every South African, regardless of race, gender or background, had the opportunity to live with dignity and hope.
For many people, Nelson Mandela is remembered as our first democratically elected President. Others remember him as a global icon of peace and reconciliation.
But today, I would like us to remember him differently. I would like us to remember him as someone who believed in people. He believed in the potential of young people. He believed in the transformative power of education. He believed that leadership should always be guided by humility, compassion, and service. Those values remain just as relevant today as they were during his lifetime.
Student Leadership in the Spirit of Madiba
Ladies and gentlemen,
The theme of today’s dialogue is student leadership, and I cannot think of a more fitting way to honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy. When people speak about leadership, they often focus on positions of authority. They think about presidents, ministers, CEOs, or principals.
But leadership does not begin when someone gives you a title. Leadership begins with the choices you make every single day. It begins with how you treat the people around you. It begins with how you respond when faced with challenges. It begins with whether you choose to lift others up or leave them behind.
For those of you serving in Student Representative Councils, class committees, and student organisations, I want to remind you that leadership is not about being the most popular person on campus. It is about earning the trust of those you represent. It is about ensuring that every student feels heard, respected and valued.
Leadership is not measured by how many people know your name. It is measured by how many lives are better because you chose to serve. Madiba understood this better than anyone.
Even after spending 27 years in prison, he emerged with a heart committed to reconciliation instead of revenge. He chose unity over division and dialogue over conflict. He understood that true leaders do not ask, “What can people do for me?” They ask, “What can I do for my people?”
That is the kind of leadership South Africa needs today.
The Future is Not Tomorrow – The Future is Now
Ladies and gentlemen
We often hear the phrase, “You are the leaders of tomorrow.” While I understand the sentiment behind those words, I would like to challenge that thinking. Yes, you are the leaders of tomorrow. But you are also the leaders of today. The decisions you make now are already shaping our country’s future.
Every assignment you complete with integrity, every innovative idea you develop, every community project you participate in, and every fellow student you encourage contributes to building the South Africa we all want.
Our institutions of higher learning are more than places where qualifications are earned. They are spaces where values are shaped and where confidence is built. They are spaces where future leaders discover who they are and what they stand for.
Some of South Africa’s greatest leaders first discovered their passion for justice while they were students. They learnt to organise. They learnt to listen. They learnt to debate respectfully. They learnt that leadership requires courage, discipline, and accountability. Today, you have the same opportunity. Do not underestimate the significance of where you are.
The lessons you learn here will influence the kind of leaders you become tomorrow. And our country needs leaders who are not only intelligent, but ethical. Leaders who are not only ambitious, but compassionate. Leaders who are not only successful but committed to serving others.
Education as a Tool for Transformation
One of uTata Nelson Mandela’s most quoted statements is that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Those words have become timeless because they speak to the transformative power of learning. Education is about more than obtaining a qualification. It is about expanding your thinking and discovering solutions to challenges. It is about preparing yourself to contribute meaningfully to society.
As students, you are developing skills that our country urgently needs. South Africa needs innovators. We need entrepreneurs. We need young people who are prepared to create opportunities, not only seek them.
Government continues to invest in Technical and Vocational Education and Training because we recognise the important role that TVET colleges play in driving economic growth, industrial development, and employment creation. You are part of that vision.
Never allow anyone to convince you that your qualification is less important than another. Every skill you acquire has the potential to improve lives, strengthen communities and contribute to building an inclusive economy. The future of South Africa will not only be built in boardrooms.
It will also be built in workshops, laboratories, construction sites, classrooms, and small businesses established by young people like yourselves. That is why your education matters. Not only to you. But to the nation.
Government’s Commitment to Young People
Programme Director,
As Government, we recognise that young people are not merely beneficiaries of development; you are partners in development. The success of South Africa depends on how well we prepare, support, and empower its young people. That is why youth development remains a priority across government.
Our vision is to build a capable, ethical, and developmental state that creates opportunities for every young person to realise their full potential. This is reflected in the National Development Plan 2030, the National Youth Policy 2030, and the Medium-Term Development Plan, which place young people at the centre of our country’s growth and development.
These policy frameworks are not simply documents. They are commitments to creating pathways for young people through quality education, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and employment opportunities.
However, government cannot achieve these aspirations alone. Partnerships with institutions of higher learning, the private sector, civil society, and communities are essential if we are to unlock the full potential of South Africa’s youth. Most importantly, we need young people who are prepared to seize the opportunities before them. As government creates pathways, you must prepare yourselves to walk through those doors with confidence, discipline, and determination.
Creating Pathways from Learning to Earning
Ladies and gentlemen,
One of the questions I am asked most often whenever I engage with young people is, “Where do I find opportunities?” and my response to them would be: there are a number of government platforms one of the most important of these is the SA Youth national network, which can be accessed through SAYouth.mobi.
The South African Youth national network is one of government’s most important platforms for connecting young people to opportunities. By registering on SA Youth.mobi, you can access opportunities for learning, earning and volunteering, all at no cost. The platform links young people to jobs, training opportunities, skills programmes, entrepreneurship support and other initiatives offered by government and its partners.
I encourage every student here today to register on SA Youth.mobi. It is free to use, it does not require data on participating networks, and it has become an important gateway to opportunities for thousands of young South Africans.
Government also continues to implement the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI), which brings together departments, the private sector, civil society and development partners to reduce barriers to employment and create pathways into the world of work.
Through initiatives such as the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, many young people have been able to gain valuable workplace experience that strengthens their employability and opens doors to permanent employment.
I also encourage you to explore opportunities offered through the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs). SETAs regularly advertise learnerships, internships, bursaries and skills development programmes aligned to different industries. These opportunities not only provide valuable experience but also help prepare young people for careers in sectors where skills are in demand.
Recently, we issued a call for applications for the National Youth Service (NYS) programme, which encourages young people to contribute meaningfully to their communities while gaining valuable skills, experience and civic awareness. The National Youth Service is an initiative for young people aimed at unemployed youth, particularly those who are not in employment, education or training. The programme equips participants with practical work experience, accredited training, and a monthly stipend by engaging them in community service and infrastructure projects.
The message here is; opportunities do exist, but you must actively seek them, prepare yourselves for them and apply when they become available.
Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Creating Opportunities
Colleagues,
One of the defining characteristics of your generation is innovation. You have grown up in a world shaped by technology, creativity, and rapid change. Where previous generations saw challenges, your generation has the ability to develop solutions.
South Africa needs more young innovators. We need young people who are prepared to establish businesses, develop updated technology, identify opportunities within their communities, and create employment not only for themselves, but for others.
Entrepreneurship is not only about starting a business. It is about identifying a problem and having the courage to solve it. It is about creating value. It is about believing that your ideas can improve lives. Do not be afraid to dream boldly. Do not be afraid to start small. Every successful enterprise begins with a single idea and someone who was courageous enough to pursue it.
Government’s commitment extends beyond education and into economic participation. Through initiatives such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, the SAYouth network, the Youth Employment Service, SETA-funded learnerships and apprenticeships, and partnerships with industry, we are working to ensure that more young people can transition from learning to earning. While government continues to create these pathways, we also encourage every young person to prepare themselves to seize the opportunities that become available.
Active Citizenship: Democracy Needs Your Voice and Before your voice is your vote
Programme Director,
As I engage with young people across our country, whether in schools, universities, TVET colleges or communities, I encounter a generation that is incredibly talented and ambitious, but also one that is increasingly frustrated. Many young people feel excluded from opportunities, discouraged by unemployment and uncertain about whether the systems of our democracy are responding to their aspirations. For some, these frustrations have developed into disillusionment.
This growing sense of disillusionment is reflected in one of the most concerning trends in our democracy: too many young people are choosing not to vote. Election after election, we have seen youth voter registration and turnout decline. Some young people believe that their vote will not make a difference. Others feel that politics has little relevance to their daily struggles. Still others have simply disengaged because they have lost confidence that their voices will be heard.
While these frustrations are real and must never be dismissed, withdrawing from democracy cannot be the answer. When young people choose not to participate, they surrender one of the most powerful tools they have to influence the future. Decisions about education, employment, healthcare, infrastructure, public transport, and economic opportunities will continue to be made. The only question is whether young people will help shape those decisions or leave them to others.
This is why I want to speak directly to the Student Representative Council leaders and student leaders gathered here today. You are more than representatives of your fellow students. You are influencers, organisers, and mobilisers. Your leadership should not end at resolving student issues on campus. It should extend to building active, informed and engaged citizens. You have a responsibility to encourage meaningful conversations about our democracy, to promote voter education, to challenge misinformation and apathy, and to inspire your fellow students to register and vote.
Let us become the generation that rejects cynicism and chooses participation. Let us prove that young people are not spectators in South Africa’s future, but active architects of it. Democracy is strongest when its young people believe that their voices matter and are prepared to use them.
Your Vote Is Your Voice
To every young person gathered here today, I want to leave you with a simple but profound message: your vote is your voice, and your voice matters.
When you become eligible, register to vote. Participate in every election. Do not see voting as a favour to any political party or individual. See it as your investment in the future of South Africa. Every ballot cast is an expression of hope, responsibility, and accountability. It is your opportunity to shape the future of your community; influence the direction of our country and hold leaders accountable for the promises they make.
Nelson Mandela reminded us that freedom is never complete unless it is accompanied by responsibility. One of the greatest responsibilities that comes with living in a constitutional democracy is participating in it. Voting is not merely a constitutional right; it is an act of citizenship that honours those who sacrificed so that all South Africans could choose their leaders freely.
To the SRC leaders present today, I challenge you to become ambassadors for democratic participation. Encourage every eligible student on your campus to register. Organise voter education campaigns. Create spaces where respectful debate and informed discussion can flourish. Help your fellow students understand that while one vote may seem small, millions of individual voices together determine the future of our nation.
South Africa needs a generation that does not simply complain about the future but actively shapes it. The future will belong to those who participate, who organise, who lead and who vote.
Your generation has the numbers. You have the ideas. You have the energy. Now you must also have the determination to participate fully in our democracy.
Let your voice be heard, because democracy is strongest when young people are informed, engaged, and determined to shape the future they wish to inherit.
Leaving a Legacy of Service
Ladies and gentlemen,
Every year, South Africans are encouraged to dedicate 67 minutes of service in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of public service. Those 67 minutes remind us that no act of kindness is too small. But I want to challenge all of us today.
Let us not limit the spirit of Mandela Day to one day on the calendar. Let us make service part of our everyday lives. Let us be known as the generation that chooses compassion over indifference. Integrity over corruption. Dialogue over division. Hope over despair. Service over self-interest.
Whether you are helping a fellow student prepare for an examination, mentoring a young person in your community, volunteering at a local organisation or simply treating others with dignity and respect, you are contributing to the South Africa that Nelson Mandela envisioned.
The greatest tribute we can pay to Madiba is not simply remembering his life. It is continuing his work.
Conclusion
As I look across this room today, I leave filled with optimism because I see a generation that possesses the talent, resilience, and courage to build the South Africa that Nelson Mandela dreamed of. Among you are future artisans, entrepreneurs, engineers, educators, innovators, business leaders, and public servants. But above all, I see future citizens whose choices will determine the direction of our democracy.
When history reflects on your generation, may it never be said that you stood on the sidelines while others decided your future. May it be said that you stepped forward, that you organised your communities, that you served with humility, that you voted, that you held leaders accountable and that you left South Africa stronger than you found it.
May it be said that this was the generation that rejected corruption and embraced integrity; that chose hope over despair; that replaced division with dialogue; and that understood that democracy is not something we inherit once, but something we must renew through our participation every single day.
As uTata Nelson Mandela reminded us, “It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all.”
Those words are not simply an inspiration; they are a call to action. Lead with courage. Lead with humility. Lead with integrity. Serve with compassion. Continue learning.
Together, let us honour Madiba not only by remembering his extraordinary life, but by continuing his work. Let us build a South Africa that is united in its diversity, confident in its democracy and unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to realise their full potential.
I thank you!
