STILL RISING

The power and promise of South Africa’s youth

Every year, Youth Day reminds us of the courage shown by young South Africans in 1976 – when they stood up against injustice with nothing but their voices and their will. Nearly five decades later, the struggle continues, though its face has changed. Today, South African youth are still overcoming. They are breaking through barriers of unemployment, inequality and limited opportunities while stepping boldly into new frontiers such as digital innovation, science, technology, engineering, mathematics and entrepreneurship.

This magazine is a tribute to that ongoing journey – the battles fought, the progress made, and the road ahead. In these pages, you’ll meet young South Africans turning internships and learnerships into stepping stones to real careers as organisations rethink how education connects with the world of work. You’ll read about youth entrepreneurs using e-commerce to carve out their futures online and homegrown innovators making their mark in science and technology against the odds.

We also look deeper: at the legacy of Youth Day and how far we’ve really come in delivering equal opportunities for all. We examine critical issues such as gender-based violence, where early intervention is key to creating safe, empowering spaces for young people. And, we cast a critical eye on global platforms such as the Y20 – asking whether the promises made will translate into real policy shifts that uplift South Africa’s youth.

The spirit of 1976 was about demanding more, about refusing to accept less. That spirit still burns today in every young South African who rises above the challenges to claim their space, their voice and their future.

Let’s honour them – not just with remembrance, but with action.

Raina Julies, Editor