Saheti leaders speak on being young in SA
South Africa's Class of 2025, including Saheti School's leadership, shares crucial insights on student pressure, career anxieties, and the vital role of mental health
As Youth Month unfolds, South Africa’s Class of 2025 is opening up about the weight of the future, the pressure of the present, and why their voices matter now more than ever.
Bedfordview and Edenvale News spoke to Saheti School’s outgoing leadership team — head girl Olwethu Khumalo, head boy Christos Georgiou, and deputy heads Alexis Kleiner and Thanos Palierakis — to understand what it means to be young in South Africa today.
“You’ve got your academics, your sport, and your social life. It’s tough trying to keep everything at the highest level,” they shared.
For them, balance isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the ultimate achievement.
Between school responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and personal lives, maintaining mental wellness is a daily challenge.
Sport, cultural involvement, and strong support systems have become essential anchors in an unpredictable world..
Juggling schoolwork, mental health, friendships, family duties, and career planning feels like a full-time job — and they haven’t even entered the workforce yet.
Adding to the pressure is the deep uncertainty about the future. The expectation to choose a university degree that guarantees employment, not just personal fulfilment, weighs heavily on their minds.
Despite these challenges, one powerful message emerged: today’s youth want to be heard, supported, and included in shaping the future.
