IN CONVERSATION WITH MOKEBE THULO, CEO at Aware.org
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As South Africa reflects on 50 years since the 1976 Youth Uprising,
Youth Month continues to serve as both a moment of remembrance
and a national reflection on the state of young people today. The
legacy of 1976 is rooted in activism, resistance, and the fight for
access to quality education and opportunity, but in 2026, the
conversation has evolved into a different set of challenges and
possibilities.
Despite progress in expanding access to education and digital
infrastructure, South Africa’s youth continue to face persistent barriers
including high unemployment, unequal access to opportunity, limited
entry into formal job markets, and growing pressure to adapt to a
rapidly changing digital economy. At the same time, there is a visible
rise in youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, creative industries, and
informal digital economies, where young people are increasingly
building their own pathways rather than relying solely on traditional
systems.
Events such as AWARE.org’s Youth Day gathering under the theme
“What’s Next?” aim to bridge this gap between challenge and
opportunity by bringing together young people, educators,
entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. The focus is shifting from
reflection alone to practical engagement, exploring how skills
development, higher education, digital literacy, creativity, and
entrepreneurship can translate into real economic participation.
At the centre of this conversation is a key question: how do we ensure
that the next generation is not only inspired by the legacy of 1976, but
actively equipped to shape the future through access, opportunity, and
innovation? This discussion explores what youth empowerment looks
like in 2026 and whether South Africa is doing enough to turn potential
into tangible pathways.
Youth Month continues to serve as both a moment of remembrance
and a national reflection on the state of young people today. The
legacy of 1976 is rooted in activism, resistance, and the fight for
access to quality education and opportunity, but in 2026, the
conversation has evolved into a different set of challenges and
possibilities.
Despite progress in expanding access to education and digital
infrastructure, South Africa’s youth continue to face persistent barriers
including high unemployment, unequal access to opportunity, limited
entry into formal job markets, and growing pressure to adapt to a
rapidly changing digital economy. At the same time, there is a visible
rise in youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, creative industries, and
informal digital economies, where young people are increasingly
building their own pathways rather than relying solely on traditional
systems.
Events such as AWARE.org’s Youth Day gathering under the theme
“What’s Next?” aim to bridge this gap between challenge and
opportunity by bringing together young people, educators,
entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. The focus is shifting from
reflection alone to practical engagement, exploring how skills
development, higher education, digital literacy, creativity, and
entrepreneurship can translate into real economic participation.
At the centre of this conversation is a key question: how do we ensure
that the next generation is not only inspired by the legacy of 1976, but
actively equipped to shape the future through access, opportunity, and
innovation? This discussion explores what youth empowerment looks
like in 2026 and whether South Africa is doing enough to turn potential
into tangible pathways.
