On 16 June 1976, thousands of young people took to the streets of Soweto to protest a government that had decided their future was worth less than someone else's. Many were younger than 18. Over 170 lives were lost that day. South Africa designated June 16 as Youth Day not as a celebration, but as a reckoning — a reminder that this country's youth have always stood at the frontline of sacrifice, and of possibility.
The political liberation those students marched toward has been achieved. Economic liberation has not. South Africa's youth unemployment rate sits above 45% — among the highest in the world. This is not a skills problem alone, nor a motivation problem. It is a structural failure, and one that every institution in this country has a responsibility to address.
At Hlayisani, we believe that venture capital is not neutral. Where capital flows determines who gets to build, who gets to earn, and who gets to own. We are deliberate about where ours goes. We back businesses that create durable, meaningful employment — not just at the founder level, but across every level of the organisation. Through Hlayisani Venture Fund II, our portfolio companies have created 155 jobs for young South Africans — real roles in technology, sales, data, and media. Not internships. Careers with momentum.
We also know that the case for youth employment is not only moral — it is economic. A young person with a stable income becomes a taxpayer, a consumer, a saver, a parent with choices. The multiplier effect compounds across households and communities in ways no social grant can replicate. The businesses in our portfolio are better because of the young talent in them. That is not philanthropy — it is competitive advantage.
Youth Day is one day. The work is every day. To the young people reading this: your ambition is not naive. And there are investors, employers, and institutions ready to back you.
