Latest news with #ThulaniTshefuta
IOL News
07-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
South Africa's C20 summit: Addressing inequality and unemployment for youth and women
C20 chairperson Thulani Tshefuta addressed the media in Pretoria, discussing South Africa's role in shaping the Civil 20 agenda, prioritising people and the planet in global policy discussions. Image: Supplied/GCIS The Civil 20 (C20) engagement process will prioritise pressing issues like inequality and unemployment affecting women and youth, gathering insights from grassroots communities ahead of the C20 summit, which will pave the way for the G20 summit in South Africa in November. This was highlighted during a Pretoria media briefing on Monday by the C20 South Africa leadership team, which gave an update on preparations to deliver the C20 policy pack before the G20 summit. C20 chairperson Thulani Tshefuta said:'We have taken a conscious decision of making this as the first South African G20 to be less about South Africa but more about Africa as a whole.' The C20, he said, has established structures representing various sectors, including women, disability, youth, health, and education, to shape the G20's processes and ensure diverse perspectives are considered. 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 He mentioned that the C20 held a mid-term policy dialogue from June 22-24, 2025, in Sandton, which was attended by over 300 people in person and more than 1 800 virtually. He said that the C20 deliberations have thoroughly explored the government's theme, emphasising solidarity, equality, and sustainability. 'Our meaning to the theme is that we have different role players that can play different, but complimentary roles between government and non-government actors. At the very least the volatile geo-political development reflects the vulnerabilities of economies to external shocks, almost instantly finding expression on the daily lives and experiences of the people,' he said. Tshefuta advocated for economically inclusive growth to achieve shared prosperity, emphasising the need to place people at the forefront of economic activities as active participants, contributors, and beneficiaries. He stressed that education and health are crucial public services that should be accessible to all, regardless of social status, and that quality services in these areas should be universally available. He said the approach by governments needs to prioritise job creation and employment opportunities, with a specific focus on addressing youth unemployment. 'There must be a dedicated focus on programmes that will implement youth employment from both government and the private sector. Society must do everything to invest in the lives of young people through education, employment and entrepreneurship and the economy in order for society as a whole to draw the demographic dividend. We can not expect to draw a dividend where we have not made investments,' he said. Leading up to the G20 summit, the organisation will hold provincial consultations in all nine provinces, prioritising grassroots participation and seeking direct input from the people. C20 South Africa Sherpa, Mabalane Mfundisi, announced that the C20 will organise people-to-people engagements through sports and culture, including a soccer match and a large concert with a global appeal in each of the nine provinces. The activities will culminate in a major event on November 15 featuring local artists, and on November 16, a soccer match between a PSL team and a team from another African country, with further details to be announced later. From November 12 to 14, the C20 will hold a consultation meeting, aiming to bring together 3,000 civil society representatives from around the world to discuss and deliberate on the organisation's policy proposals and documents. Mfundisi said the government's theme focuses on solidarity, equality, and sustainability, and the C20 is working through its various working groups to identify actions that contribute to achieving the goals.
The Citizen
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
C20 Summit in Sandton champions inclusive development and African unity
The first day of the Launch and Mid-Term Policy Dialogue opened with strong momentum, marked by broad-based support and inclusive participation. The event, which served as a platform for reflection, collaboration, and advancing shared priorities on social and economic development across Africa, took place from June 22 to 24 at the Capital Hotel in Sandton. Messages of support were received from Youth 20 (Y20) and Labour 20 (L20), affirming the importance of youth and labour voices in shaping transformative policy within the G20 framework. ALSO READ: Joburg Speaker concludes region D1 Summit as locals Demand Services The dialogue also received endorsement from South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), reinforcing the country's commitment to multilateral engagement and African cooperation. Importantly, the event brought together members of civil society from across the continent. Their presence and contributions grounded the discussions in community realities and citizen-driven solutions. Their active engagement helped ensure that the dialogue reflected a diverse range of perspectives and priorities. As delegates from around the world arrived, the hotel's exterior was transformed into a symbol of unity and purpose. The branding around the venue was bold, inclusive, and rich in symbolism. Young pantsula dancers entertained the audience, underscoring the event's commitment to the G20 principles of equality, global partnership, and a sustainable future. This launch marks a significant milestone for the C20's role in influencing global policy, amplifying the voices of civil society, and ensuring that people and the planet remain at the heart of the G20's agenda. ALSO READ: G20 Summit – the ball gets rolling As discussions unfold, the focus remains clear: to foster inclusive dialogue, champion equity across all nations, and steer global development in a direction that leaves no one behind. The Sandton skyline now stands not just as a financial hub, but as a beacon of global cooperation and civic leadership. June 2025 will formally introduce Civil Society South Africa as a collective movement for social justice and policy advocacy. The event also aims to facilitate dialogue on key socioeconomic and governance issues affecting communities, establish strategic partnerships for sustained impact and community engagement, and develop a roadmap for civil society participation in policy and decision-making processes. In his speech, C20 chairperson Thulani Tshefuta emphasised the need for strategic alignment and a long-term vision. He stated that the work at C20 must align with South Africa's National Development Plan, the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 'The challenge before us all is to rise above immediate obstacles and focus on these broader, long-term strategic development instruments. Our strategic approach should reflect the fact that while there are 200 of us in this room, many more are following through various other platforms. We must truly act with purpose and unity to advance these shared goals,' said Tshefuta. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Civil society at G20 gathering: 'No democratic society with huge unemployed population'
C20 South Africa chairperson Thulani Tshefuta highlighted the group's role, not as adversaries of the government but as crucial partners who advocate for those most vulnerable in society. Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers With just over 23 weeks left before South Africa gets to host the G20 Summit in November this year, more than 14 working groups from diverse civil society organisations gathered at The Capital on the Park in Sandton as part of the C20 South Africa Launch on Sunday. Chairperson Thulani Tshefuta highlighted the group's role not as adversaries of the government but as crucial partners who advocate for those most vulnerable in society and emphasised the need for advocacy work to align with South Africa's medium term development plan and the United Nations' agenda for 2030. His call for a mass-based, people-centred approach resonated throughout the launch, pointing to the urgent need for comprehensive consultations that address the issues faced by communities across the country. "We are not anti-government as we have been labeled as friends of government. When we have to respond to the plight of the poor, we are told this is expensive we can't afford that, but ours is to press on. "'m not about to pretend when we do our advocacy at community level. our work must align with the medium development plan and the agenda 2030. Our strategic approach should be truly mass-based, people centred and imbued with awareness of our advocacy issues. The challenge is that we must rise above our immediate challenge and look at strategic development instruments, we must be big and wide in our consultation," 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 ✕ Ad Loading The 14 working groups include Women and Gender Equity, People to people interaction and Solidarity, Poverty Alleviation and Food Sustainability, Democratic governance, Civic Space, Anti-Corruption and Access to Justice, Cultural Diversity Recognition and Embracement, Trade and Sustainable Development, Digital and Inclusive Economies, Sustainable and Resilient Communities and Disaster Risk Reduction. These working groups also include four themes that include youth empowerment, addressing issues affecting women, meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities and ensuring that LGBTQI+ people are not left behind. Tshefuta said intentional actions are needed to reverse the tide of poverty and unemployment, adding that this cannot be done without active market policies. "There will be no democratic society with such a huge population which is unemployed and idle. Poverty is real. Poverty is alive. There are people we refer to as being vulnerable, but we say nothing anything about those who are fully marginalised. It is a struggle to keep them surviving in the marginst," he said.
