Latest news with #Mashatile
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Mashatile urges South African youth to seize opportunities for economic transformation
Addressing the G20 Roundtable, Deputy President Paul Mashatile urges investment in youth capabilities, highlighting the need for shared power, digital innovation, and sustainable development driven by Africa's young population. Image: HigherEducationZA / X 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. 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 ✕ Ad loading '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.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Why youth inclusion is crucial for South Africa's future: Insights from Mashatile at the G20
Addressing the G20 Roundtable, Deputy President Paul Mashatile urges investment in youth capabilities, highlighting the need for shared power, digital innovation, and sustainable development driven by Africa's young population. Image: HigherEducationZA/X Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for the urgent inclusion of young people in building a capable, ethical, and developmental state. Mashatile was delivering the keynote address at the G20 High-Level Intergenerational Roundtable in Sandton on Friday, where he highlighted the importance of empowering youth to lead economic transformation, social development, and global engagement. Having recently returned from a working visit to the Russian Federation, he stated that the trip offered valuable insights into strengthening South Africa's bilateral ties with Russia and reaffirming historical solidarity. He noted that institutions such as Saint Petersburg University are playing a role in people-to-people relations by committing to teaching South African languages such as isiZulu and isiXhosa. He also praised Russia's progress in digital and artificial intelligence capabilities, urging that "we too in South Africa must invest in this area of work because we are living in the knowledge economy, and it is a requirement for us to be globally competitive." Highlighting South Africa's leadership in the G20 and BRICS, Mashatile said: 'This presents a collective moment for us to re-frame global discourse. A moment to insist that Africa's youth are not passive recipients of aid or policy, but agents of innovation, enterprise, and governance.' He stressed that South Africa's future depends on a youth-led approach to development. 'Young people can build the Africa we want,' he said. He aligned his message with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and its focus on inclusive growth through youth empowerment. He hailed the ratification of the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area as 'a decisive policy action that signals our intent to mainstream gender and youth equity within intra-African trade policy.' Mashatile warned that without transforming Africa's demographic dividend into inclusive growth, the continent risks stalling its potential. 'We understand that we need young people to meaningfully build capable, ethical, and developmental states. We must integrate youth into national and continental planning frameworks, not just as beneficiaries but also as co-architects of development,' he said. Referring to historical figures such as Hector Pieterson and Solomon Mahlangu, Mashatile drew a connection between the youth's role in South Africa's liberation struggle and their relevance in addressing today's pressing issues like unemployment, inequality, and poverty. 'Economic freedom remains elusive,' he said. He added that creating opportunities for youth participation in decision-making is now a national imperative. 'We need to turn our attention to youth capabilities and development to empower young people to unleash their untapped potential.' He also pointed to the government's efforts to support young people through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, and platforms like He acknowledged challenges such as red tape and regulatory burdens that hinder youth entrepreneurship and access to opportunities, saying, 'The Presidency has established a specialised unit focused on enhancing the business climate by addressing regulatory obstacles.' The time has come for us to move beyond inclusion as a moral goal and make it a measurable outcome,' said Mashatile. Reiterating the importance of action, he said the government is scaling up youth-focused programmes including employment initiatives, technical training, and support for youth-led enterprises. 'Let the G20 remember that Africa is young!' he said. 'South Africa is ready, and we want young people to take the lead in the developmental and transformation agenda.' As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Leaders' Summit in November, Mashatile said South Africa's presidency of the G20 presents a unique opportunity to mainstream the youth agenda in global policy. 'We will anchor youth inclusion in every major pillar of our G20 Presidency, from climate finance and trade facilitation to digital transformation and skills mobility,' he said. [email protected] Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
SA maintains Israeli embassy to keep a diplomatic presence: Paul Mashatile
In 2023, MPs voted in favour of closing down the Israeli embassy due to its attacks in Gaza. The same year, thousands of protesters marched and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to shut down the embassy. South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians. Mashatile said: 'One of the challenges we had, we wanted to have a presence in that region and we decided that if we close their embassy, they will close ours and that locks us out of a region where we want to have a presence to be able to engage. 'Some people might say you don't have to be there physically but we felt let's leave room for now to be able to engage because that region is important for us. 'We want to see the people of Palestine having their independence. We have been supporting them and that is why we went to the ICJ.' Mashatile said the government was not ignoring parliament but had to consider what it needed to do to put pressure on Israel. 'We continue to do that [put pressure on Israel]. Even in Russia [where Mashatile went on a working visit this month], this is a matter we were discussing with other leaders — Indonesia, China who were with us there — to say how do we manage this situation. 'President [Vladimir] Putin in particular was accused of abandoning Iran and people were saying, 'Iran are your friends, are you not helping them?' and he was saying 'I am engaging them' ... there is a particular way that sometimes leaders turned to do things, so one could have expected that maybe because Russia is a friend of Iran they are going to run in there to try to be on the side of Iran but they tried a different approach of engaging both sides to say there can be peaceful resolution of this problem.'
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Paul Mashatile denies family tied to multibillion-rand lottery deal
Mashatile is accused of political interference in the awarding of a lucrative fourth national lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings. Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied suggestions of political interference in the awarding of a lucrative national lottery licence to Sizekhaya Holdings. Among Sizekhaya's shareholders is Bellamont Gaming, a company co-owned and co-directed by Khumo Bogatsu and Moses Tembe, the KwaZulu-Natal businessman who chairs Sizekhaya. Bogatsu is the twin sister of Humile Mashatile, the deputy president's wife. 'Printing money' Sizekhaya landed the lucrative licence to operate South Africa's national lottery for eight years. Bellamont Gaming was registered nine months later, in December 2023, with Tembe and Bogatsu as its founding and only directors. Bellamont and consortium partners then registered Sizekhaya just days before last year's February 3 deadline to contest the fourth national lottery licence, according to an amaBhungane report. The outgoing operator, Ithuba Holdings, reported a R7.28-billion turnover in 2024, according to the report. Bogatsu and Tembe's joint involvement adds to widespread fears that the politics of patronage may have intruded on the award process. WATCH Paul Mashatile speaking about the National Lottery allegations WATCH | In an interview on IN THE KNOW with Sowetan, deputy president Paul Mashatile dismissed suggestions of interference in the awarding of the lucrative lotto licence contract to Sizekhaya Holdings. Catch the full interview on SowetanLIVE's YouTube channel on Thursday.… — Sowetan LIVE (@SowetanLIVE) June 24, 2025 ALSO READ: 'Acquittal' of Mashatile's VIP officers a 'miscarriage of justice' Mashatile responds The awarding of the fourth lottery licence has garnered significant public attention, which has also focused on the apparent political ties of other bidders. Mashatile argued that Bellamont Gaming, owned and co-owned by Bogatsu and Durban businessman Moses Tembe, who are part of a consortium that was awarded the lucrative lottery licence, was not doing business with the Presidency. He said it was unfair to question why his relatives were conducting business. 'There are so many people who know me in this country – family, children, cousins and friends. Where must they do business, in Zimbabwe? Out of this country? ' Mashatile asked during an interview with Sowetan on Tuesday. 'They can do business, as long as I'm not involved, not because they know me. Because once you say Mr Mashatile is capable of influencing, even if he is sitting in his house, it's unfair. You must be able to say he went there to interfere'. Allegations Mashatile said only the trade and industry minister, Parks Tau, had the power to choose the winning bidder. When asked why there were such allegations around him, Mashatile said he doesn't know. 'There is no way of knowing why people are after me. I do my work, I have been in government for close to 30 years… So, I don't know where these allegations come from. People just go around picking stuff, and I don't know what their motive is. 'If I've done something wrong, I'll be the first to accept to say I did something wrong, but if I've not, I'm not going to accept that. It doesn't matter how many times people make allegations'. Lottery Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, announced the award to Sizekhaya on May 28 this year after protracted delays and what he called 'this arduous exercise' of evaluating eight applications. Sizekhaya was competing with seven other bidders, including long-time operator Ithuba. The National Lotteries Commission (NLC), which reports to Tau, helps adjudicate licence bids. On Monday, Tau assured MPs that allegations of conflicts of interest linked to the newly awarded lotto operator licence will be investigated. ALSO READ: WATCH: DA lays corruption charges against Mashatile
Zawya
5 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Deputy President Mashatile to deliver the keynote address at the G20 Inter-generational Roundtable
Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Friday, 27 June 2025, attend and deliver the keynote address at the High-Level G20 Inter-generational Roundtable, hosted by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. The Roundtable takes place under the theme: "Advancing Equity, Building Capabilities, and Igniting Innovation", and forms part of South Africa's G20 Presidency. It brings together youth activists and professionals, captains of industry, international partners, and policymakers to deliberate on inclusive development pathways and generational equity. The engagement also aims to amplify youth voices in shaping national and global development agendas, while accelerating opportunities for their meaningful inclusion in economic, governance, and innovation ecosystems. The Inter-generational Roundtable will feature high-level contributions from members of Cabinet, captains of industry, continental development partners and civil society. In line with the priorities of the G20 Presidency, Deputy President Mashatile will reflect on building youth capabilities for a developmental state, addressing structural barriers faced by young people, and advancing Government-led solutions through collaborative policy instruments, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and strategic investment in education, innovation, and inclusive growth. This Roundtable engagement, which advances the development and empowerment of the county's young people, falls within the ambit of the Deputy President's responsibility as the Chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
