Minister Nobuhle Nkabane leads Youth Day event at Ekurhuleni East TVET College, 6 Jun

It is with great honour that Higher Health, in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training under the leadership of Honourable Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane invites the media to attend the 2025 Youth Day event at Ekurhuleni East TVET College, Kwa Thema campus, Gauteng from 10h00 to 13h00.

The event, expected to welcome 1,000 students across our TVET, CET Colleges and Universities in Gauteng, some of who will be also receiving their graduation completion certificates for the Higher Health groundbreaking Civic and Soft Skills NQF Level 5 QCTO skills qualification programme that equips young people with essential Soft Skills, Civic values, Skills4Life and workplace readiness competencies to better prepare them for the job market and empower them to contribute as good, responsible citizens.

Research indicates that 85% of job success is attributed to soft skills, underlining the importance of fostering civic education and soft skills among young people. This not only enhances their employability but also empowers them to address pressing social and health challenges, including gender-based violence (GBV), drugs, alcohol and substance abuse and addiction, HIV, unplanned pregnancies, and the growing pandemic of mental health among young people. Furthermore, the programme builds essential financial literacy, climate change and digital literacy skills, equipping young people to drive both personal and national economic growth.

This pioneering initiative is the first of its kind in Africa, developed in collaboration with UNESCO, and aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It stands as a beacon of empowerment for the youth, preparing them to be agents of positive change in their communities and the broader society.

The theme for the event will be aligned to the 2025 Youth Month national Campaign will be focusing on Education, Skills development, and Economic participation. This is an acknowledgement of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey that indicates that SA Youth continue to have the highest unemployment rates. The latest Quarterly report suggests an increment of Youth Unemployment in SA.

The Minister, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane will deliver the keynote address on the day and participate in a dynamic panel discussion alongside the CEO of Higher Health, Professor Ramneek Ahluwalia; sector leadership from various Universities, TVET colleges and CET Colleges, and three courageous TVET College students, real survivors of gender-based violence who have rebuilt their lives, students who have faced mental health challenges and successfully graduated with support from Higher Health, as well as young people from both rural and urban campuses - bringing diverse perspectives on the realities and possibilities facing South Africa’s young people today.

The topic of the panel discussion will be “Rising Unemployment Amongst South Africa’s Youth: What Opportunities are Available and What Must Change to Reduce Youth Unemployment?”.

Members of the Media are invited to the Youth Day event, as follows:

Date: Friday, 6 June 2025
Time: 10:00 AM to 13:00 PM
Venue: Ekurhuleni East TVET College, Kwa Thema campus, Gauteng

Enquiries:
Ms Camagwini Mavovana
Media Liaison Officer to the Minister
Cell: 083 400 3206

Nashveer Nemesar
Communications Manager
Cell: 066 258 8714

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