As South Africa marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto uprising on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela says the task ahead is clear: creating opportunities for the country's youth through education, skills development and employment pathways.
“For millions of young people, access to education and skills development represents a path to dignity, economic participation and a better future. That understanding has strengthened my resolve to ensure that our institutions are responsive, accountable and focused on providing opportunity,” he said in an interview. sanews.
South Africa celebrates Youth Month and Youth Day in June to remember and honor the role played by youth in the fight against apartheid. The Soweto uprising of 1976 was a turning point in the liberation struggle.
Youth Day, celebrated annually on 16 June, commemorates the day thousands of courageous students stood together to march against the oppressive apartheid education policies.
The activism demonstrated by young people over the years is something that the Minister recognises.
“Having served as a youth worker and leader in several youth and student movements, I have made the journey from activism to leadership. I now find myself in a position where I can contribute directly to realizing many of the aspirations for which we fought as students and youth. It is a responsibility I take very seriously. The issues we raised – education, equality, dignity, access to opportunity and social justice – remain at the heart of my work as minister today,” he Explained.
Manamela has previously served as Vice-President of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) and President of the South African College Students' Association (now known as the South African Technical Vocational Education and Training Students' Association).
Prior to his appointment as Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on 21 July 2025, Manamela was the Deputy Minister of the same department and has a deep appreciation for both the opportunities and challenges within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system.
He has used his time in office to engage extensively with students, lecturers, university leaders, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college principals, organized workers, business leaders and communities across South Africa.
He describes his appointment as minister as a huge responsibility, reflecting his tenure at the helm of the ministry.
“My experience to date has also confirmed that we are at a turning point. The country faces an urgent need to more closely link education and training with the demands of a changing economy.
“That is why we have placed significant emphasis on the skills revolution, the expansion of vocational qualifications, the strengthening of TVET colleges, the modernization of our qualifications framework and the introduction of a dual system of learning and earning that combines classroom learning with workplace experience. We cannot continue to produce qualifications in isolation from the realities of the labor market,” he explained.
His comments come as Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labor Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2026 showed that the number of unemployed youth (aged 15-34) increased by 181,000 compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 to 4.7 million.
Additionally, the number of employed youth declined by 258,000 to 5.6 million.
“As a result, the youth unemployment rate increased by 2.0 percentage points to 45.8% in the first quarter of 2026,” Stats SA said of the household-based sample survey, which collects data on labor market activities of individuals aged 15 and over.
Improvement
In the DHET budget vote tabled in May, the Minister announced that 24 new vocational qualifications were being introduced into TVET colleges in January 2026.
Asked about the progress made in rolling out the qualifications, the minister said the rollout is part of a broader reform of the country's PSET system.
“(It) aims to ensure that our qualifications remain relevant, credible and responsive to the needs of the modern economy. The new qualifications have been designed in close partnership with industry and focus on providing learners with practical, workplace-relevant skills that improve employability and support economic growth.
“They are part of the Government's wider objective to strengthen the links between education, training and the world of work. The rollout is supported by significant progress in the skills development system.
“To date, 948 vocational qualifications and part-qualifications have been registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), creating a strong foundation for the expansion of vocationally guided learning pathways,” the Minister said.
The NQF sets standards for qualifications and partial qualifications.
In addition, the Department is working with the Trade and Business Quality Council (QCTO), the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), TVET colleges, employers and industry partners to ensure that the necessary quality assurance, curriculum support, workplace learning opportunities and funding arrangements are in place.
He said, “The change was made necessary by the need to modernize those parts of the qualifications system that were no longer adequately responding to changing industry needs and emerging economic opportunities.”
Meanwhile, DHET is expected to present a turnaround strategy for TVET colleges later this year, with the minister saying President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the department the mandate of a skills revolution.
“We are very clear that, to achieve the revolution, we need to put TVET colleges at the center because of their centrality to economic growth and industrialisation. The strategy will be informed by consultation with colleges, industry and organized labour. It will address infrastructure, lecturer development, student support and workplace partnerships. We have started with workplace partnerships and are receiving positive feedback from industry. We will intensify these partnerships.”
investment in higher education
Minister Manmela had earlier highlighted that the country's universities cannot accommodate the large number of students applying for placements. Asked if the government was considering increasing the number of public universities in the future, Manamela said the state was constantly assessing future capacity needs, not just of universities, but of the entire sector.
He explained that while universities remain important, the answer is not simply to provide more university places.
Currently, there are 26 public universities in South Africa.
“The answer is more pathways to skills, employment and economic participation.
“In our 2026 Budget vote speech, we emphasized both infrastructure expansion and digital transformation in the post-school education and training sector. When we talk about infrastructure expansion, we are not just talking about building more lecture halls, campuses and workshops. We are also investing in digital infrastructure that enables flexible learning opportunities, expands access to education and prepares students for an increasingly digitized economy.”
Honoring the past and moving SA forward
As South Africa prepares to celebrate Youth Day, with a national commemoration to be held at the FNB Premium Parking (open ground adjacent to the FNB Stadium) at Nasrec in downtown Johannesburg, Manamela said the 50th anniversary of the June 16 uprising is a reminder of one of the most defining moments in the country's history.
He explained, “The courage, sacrifice and determination of the youth of 1976 helped change the course of South Africa and laid the foundation for the democratic society we enjoy today. The 50th anniversary on 16 June is certainly a celebration. It is a celebration of the resilience of young people, the triumph of our democracy and the progress we have made as a nation.”
Furthermore, over the past 30 years, South Africa has made significant progress in increasing access to education and training, with doors to learning that were once closed to the majority now open to millions.
He said today, more youth than ever before have access to universities, TVET colleges, community education and training colleges, scholarships, student funding and skills development opportunities.
“At the same time, this anniversary is also a moment for reflection. Although we have come a long way, we must honestly acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Too many young people continue to face unemployment, poverty and inequality. Many are still struggling to access opportunities that would enable them to participate meaningfully in the economy and society,” he explained.
On what keeps him up at night, the minister said: “The four million South Africans who are functionally illiterate; the many young people who are not in education, employment or training; and the unemployed graduates who have left our system.”
The government is clearly working to remove barriers and overcome challenges in the higher education sector. –sanews.gov.za