In modern-day South Africa, conversations about young people in South Africa remain trapped in a familiar cycle. Youth are celebrated as the future, consulted about the present and then largely excluded from decisions that shape both.
Against a backdrop of stubborn unemployment, economic inequality and growing frustration among young people, the third annual Connect Youth in Dialogue Summit posed a different question. What happens when young people move beyond participation and begin demanding the power to implement, govern and lead?
Held under the theme “From Resolutions to Reality: Youth Leading Implementation for Impact”, the summit brought together young leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives in Johannesburg.
Unlike many youth-focused gatherings that concentrate on identifying problems, this year’s event centred on what had happened since commitments made at the previous summit. The focus was not on generating new promises but on examining progress, accountability and implementation. Throughout the day, speakers repeatedly returned to the idea that meaningful change requires more than dialogue.
The atmosphere reflected this emphasis. Rather than a sequence of disconnected keynote speeches, the summit unfolded as a conversation between speakers and participants.
Audience members were invited to respond, reflect and challenge ideas as discussions progressed. This created a sense that young people were not merely the subject of discussion but active contributors to it. The event’s organisers described the summit as being designed around young people rather than simply for them, and the approach was evident throughout the programme.
One of the strongest messages came from Thandiwe Legwaila, Head of Client Coverage South Africa at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking, who challenged young people, particularly young women, to stop waiting until they felt fully prepared before pursuing opportunities.
Her reflections focused on leadership as something that begins where people are rather than where they hope to be. Speaking about a “new wave” of leadership, she argued that ambition should not be limited by background or circumstance. The message resonated with a generation often told to wait its turn.
Questions of identity and belonging were raised by Sonono Khoza, the chairperson of the Zodwa Khoza Foundation.
Drawing on culture and heritage, she argued that leadership was rooted in service, values and community rather than status or authority. Her reflection, “I am because they were. I stand because they stood. I lead because they lead”, reminded the audience that leadership does not emerge in isolation. Instead, it is shaped by those who came before and sustained through responsibility to those who will follow.
The realities facing young South Africans were addressed by the National Youth Development Agency board chairperson, Bonga Makhanya.
Acknowledging widespread frustration among young people, he pointed to the barriers that continue to limit access to economic participation, particularly for those from low-income communities.
He argued that the challenge was not a lack of policy but a failure to implement policies effectively. More importantly, he challenged young people to move beyond symbolic participation and enter spaces where decisions were made, whether as councillors, planners, entrepreneurs or leaders in their own communities.
The emphasis on implementation echoed throughout the summit. During her opening address, A Seat at the Table chairperson Dr Tryphosa Ramano, reflected on the organisation's origins, describing it as a response to the contradiction of discussing young people in rooms where they were absent. Rather than asking for a seat at existing tables, she argued, young people should be building new ones. Her assertion that “talk is cheap” and accountability matters set the tone for the discussions that followed. The summit consistently returned to the question of what action looks like after the applause fades.
The conversation also extended beyond economics and leadership into questions of well-being. A session led by Dr Nomonde Mabuya on mental health challenged participants to consider the impact of constant digital connectivity on focus, productivity and emotional wellbeing.
At a time when many young professionals navigate their lives through screens, the discussion served as a reminder that sustainable leadership requires protecting mental and emotional capacity. It was one of the few moments during the day that encouraged participants to look inward rather than outward.
Governance emerged as another recurring theme. Whether discussing entrepreneurship, board leadership or community development, speakers repeatedly emphasised ethics, transparency and accountability. Participants were encouraged to view governance not as an abstract institutional concept but as a daily practice reflected in personal choices and leadership decisions. The message was simple but significant: institutions are shaped by the values of the people who lead them.
Perhaps the most compelling contribution came from MTN South Africa deputy CEO Yolanda Cuba, who challenged conventional understandings of leadership. Africa, she argued, did not simply need charismatic leaders. It needed builders, multipliers and creators of trust who could establish systems capable of outlasting individual careers and personalities. In a context where leadership failures often dominate headlines, her call for “ethical velocity”, the ability to execute quickly without compromising integrity, captured the summit’s broader focus on implementation.
The day’s discussions culminated in the launch of the CYID 2026 Implementation Charter and Impact Dashboard, aimed at formalising commitments and measuring progress over the coming year. Whether the commitments translate into tangible outcomes remains to be seen. Yet the significance of the summit lay less in the documents unveiled and more in the questions repeatedly raised throughout the day. How do young people move from consultation to decision-making? How do institutions remain accountable? And what does meaningful leadership look like in a society shaped by inequality?
As the summit concluded with the recognition of young leaders making contributions in their communities and industries, participants were left with a final question: What do we owe one another as black people and black professionals? It is a question that lingered long after the certificates had been handed over. If there was one defining message from the summit, it was that access, opportunity and leadership carry responsibilities beyond individual success. The challenge now is whether the responsibilities can be transformed into lasting action.