EDITOR'S LETTER

Nic Dawes
Editor-in-chief Mail & Guardian

It is not, however, gratuitous misery. Robust investigative and political writing aims to hold open space in our society for the building of a richer democracy, in all possible ways.

Our annual survey of Young South Africans is really the flipside of our investigative work. It's an effort to identify and recognize the emerging talents whose work thrills us with its potential.

When we put them all together in one room for lunch, we get an extraordinary sense of a country being born around us.

And far from being just future stars, our 200 picks are making real impacts now within their own fields, but crucially beyond them too.

We have reduced numbers this year, not because there are fewer young stars in the country, but because we want to be rigorous in selection, and stricter about the 35-year cut-off. On the other hand, we have included a few brilliant non-native South Africans who have made South Africa their home and applied their enormous energies to our complicated, sometimes daunting, national project. We aren't opposed to xenophobia just because it involves abuses of human rights, but because we also know we are vastly better off when we are open to the world.

A smaller sample has also allowed us to pay more attention to each of the people we do profile, and I think that's evident in the improved writing, photography and design that characterise this year's edition.

As ever, we pass over people who I think are some of the most promising young South Africans you are likely to meet anywhere -- those journalists in our own newsroom, many of whom help to make this supplement happen, including Lynley Donnelly, Lionel Faull, Lloyd Gedye, Yolandi Groenewald, Tarryn Harbour, Karabo Keepile, Matuma Letsoalo, Mmanaledi Mataboge, Duduzile Mathebula, Phathisani Moyo, Faranaaz Parker, Verashni Pillay, Mandy Rossouw, Lisa Steyn, Valencia Talane, Niren Tolsi, Vuvu Vena, Lisa van Wyk and Percy Zvomuya, and our photographers Paul Botes, Oupa Nkosi, Lisa Skinner, David Harrison and Delwyn Verasamy.

Tanya Pampalone has done an extraordinary job of wrangling them-- even very good journalists are not easily organized -- and editing the product that you have in your hands.

So, if you really want to engage with the potential this country holds, and borrow a bit of momentum from those who are really moving it forward, book a table and grab a plate of optimism.

Foreword

The Fifa World Cup is going to be the most successful ever, and that is in large part due to the collective contribution of many South Africans, in different ways, but all significant. When it ends on July 11, the world will sit up and take notice of an African continent that is waking up from decades of struggle and under-achievement.

Of critical importance is that all South Africans takes the lead in keeping the momentum generated by this historic event so that our country can move forward, an endeavour in which young people from all walks of life have a central role to play. Their optimism, boundless energy and determination to make the country great cannot go to waste at a time when the country, and its youth in particular, still face so many challenges.

This special edition attempts to recognise some of the most promising young people the country has produced. Please take note of them, work with and guide them to make them even better South Africans for the sake of our future. As an organisation, Xstrata has made a decision to seek and utilise all opportunities available to contribute to nation building and economic growth. It is everyone's responsibility.

To see who our 200 Young South Africans for 2011 are click here.