Dr Iqbal Survé says Ramaphosa missed an opportunity to deal with youth unemployment in South Africa
Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
President Cyril Ramaphosa's Wednesday meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House has drawn criticism for not adequately addressing the pressing issue of youth unemployment in South Africa, which affects a staggering 65% of young people.
Dr Iqbal Survé, Chairman of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings and Independent Media, holds a view that Ramaphosa missed a crucial chance to address the country's serious problem of youth unemployment.
He was delivering a speech at the 2025 Future of Jobs Summit held at the DP World Wanderers in Melrose North, Johannesburg on Thursday, where he spoke about how South Africa can create job opportunities for the youth and a thriving economy.
'If I was the President of South Africa, I would have sat in the Oval Office room last night (Wednesday) and I would have said 'President Trump we have 65% unemployment amongst the youth. Can you help the youth of South Africa to be able to help themselves as part of a technological programme, etcetera, etcetera',' he said.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ramaphosa's visit to the US was prompted by concerns raised by Trump about alleged violence targeting white South African farmers.
Trump had granted refugee status to 49 Afrikaner farmers, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Survé said while he agrees that the country needs to prioritise supporting farmers to ensure food security, it also needs to focus on tackling youth unemployment as a top priority.
'We can't have two-thirds of our youth having no hope, no future, no pathway to a career, no pathway to income and living in desperation. That is not acceptable, no matter what we say,' he said.
He stressed that the business leadership and public service leaders should do everything possible to prioritise youth employment.
'We have no choice otherwise we are going to live in our ivory towers, behind high walls, fearful of our lives,' he said.
According to him, youth employment issues require more than just annual discussions; they demand concrete actions and sustainable solutions.
'This must be top of the agenda. It must be the President's priority to be able to say to the nation '65% is too much (and) within a decade we are going to get that down to 20% and this is how we are going to do it',' Survé said.
He shot down the notion that South Africa's primary issue being a skills deficit, suggesting instead that the problem lies in the inability to create opportunities for young people.
'We have the skills set. What we need to do is to create opportunity for young people to participate in these programmes, both technological and otherwise,' he said
He stressed the need for platforms that accommodate diverse skill sets, enabling individuals without tertiary qualifications to leverage their skills and earn a living.
Survé noted that there were countless success stories of individuals thriving in the digital economy, where people leverage tech and media to earn a living.
'Some of you call them influencers. It is a business in its own right. In the US at the moment someone can earn as high as 15 million dollars per year today in this particular space,' he said.
He emphasised that business leaders and the public sector share a crucial responsibility to create platforms and opportunities, especially in the tech space, for young people.
He criticised a delegate accompanying Ramaphosa for mentioning instances of violent crime resulting in throat slitting.
'How do you tell the world that someone is slitting someone's throat in this country? Never wash your dirty linen in public. That is the first rule. Leave it. Let them say what they want to say. Don't go and make the world think your country is a bunch of barbarians,' he said.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
US department official says refugee programme is for 'white people'
A US Department of State official has reportedly confirmed that the refugee programme offered to South Africans was intended for white people, particularly Afrikaners. In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting minorities resettlement under the programme on the grounds of 'racial discrimination'. Since then, two groups of Afrikaner people have arrived in the US, with more expected to follow. According to Reuters , the US Department of State's Spencer Chretien, the highest-ranking official in the refugee and migration bureau, stated that the refugee programme was 'intended for white people'. Chretien had declined to comment further. This throws into disrepute the Refugee Admission Programme's claim that it is open to all 'minorities'. Despite initially being targeted at Afrikaner farmers and white people, US authorities have since included coloured, Indian, and 'mixed-race' South Africans. Applicants must prove that they are 'persecuted' South Africans who are victims of 'racial discrimination'. The US Embassy has updated its refugee status programme application, with an announcement that communication will be coordinated by RSC Africa, which manages all US-bound applicants from Africa. This will include: Conducting intake and referral interviews Collecting applicants' data and documentation Requesting background checks Scheduling USCIS interviews Arranging for medical exams Booking travel to the United States Ultimately, the application will be reviewed and determined by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The embassy has also detailed that the refugee status application would include several stages, as outlined in the diagram below. Image via US Embassy Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Global recognition for local hard work
JOHANNESBURG - The French government has recognised the efforts and work done towards the fight for equal human rights for all. READ: Anti-migrant protests | SERI committed to protecting Human Rights of all Siyabulela Jentile has been awarded the status of Laureate of the Initiative Marianne by the Government of France - becoming the first South African and the first African from Southern Africa to receive this prestigious honour. Jentile discussed the award with eNCA.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Fikile Mbalula: No Arms to Ukraine, South Africa Stays Committed to Peace
Liberation Movements Summit 2025 class photo. Image: X/ANC By Bayethe Msimang South Africa has reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to neutrality and peace in international conflicts, including the war in Ukraine. This stance was underscored by African National Congress Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula during his address at the recent summit of Southern African liberation movements. Speaking to an audience of political veterans and representatives from across the region, Mbalula emphasised that no South African arms manufacturer, whether public or private, will be permitted to export weapons or ammunition to any party involved in the war. 'As the ANC, we have taken a decision – consistent with South Africa's constitutional values and foreign policy traditions – that South African arms manufacturers will not be allowed to export weapons or ammunition to the war zone in Ukraine,' Mbalula said. His remarks were not presented as a new policy initiative, but rather as a public reaffirmation of South Africa's deeply rooted principles in international engagement. For decades, South Africa's foreign policy has emphasised peaceful conflict resolution, respect for sovereignty, and a strong commitment to international law. Mbalula's words served to restate that approach at a time when the global arms trade and its implications for ongoing conflicts are under intense international scrutiny. Over the past several years, public interest in arms transfers has steadily grown, both within South Africa and abroad. This has been driven by a broader international dialogue around transparency, ethics, and the unintended consequences of global weapons flows. Within this climate, South African defence manufacturers — including well-known entities such as Rheinmetall Denel Munition — have occasionally appeared in investigative reporting and academic research exploring the complexities of modern arms production and end-user accountability. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ It was in this context of heightened awareness that Mbalula's remarks were made. Rather than responding to any specific incident, his statement served as a principled reminder of the frameworks that already guide South Africa's approach to arms exports. Reassuring both local and international observers, Mbalula emphasised that the decision not to authorise exports to the Ukrainian war zone was not an exceptional case, but a confirmation of South Africa's broader diplomatic posture. The guiding principle remains consistent: military goods should not be exported to regions experiencing active conflict, particularly when there is a risk that such exports could contribute to further escalation. In this way, South Africa continues to walk a path defined not by alignment with global power blocs, but by its own moral compass and legal obligations. The government's position reflects its historical role as an advocate for dialogue, mediation, and peaceful coexistence values that have shaped its diplomatic identity since the end of apartheid. Mbalula's message thus serves a dual purpose: it reassures domestic audiences that South Africa's defence industry remains under firm legal and ethical guidance, and it signals to the world that the country remains committed to its role as a bridge-builder in times of war. At a moment when the international order is marked by volatility and mistrust, South Africa's quiet consistency may well be its greatest diplomatic strength. IOL
