Birch Acres youth meets president
Birch Acres residents, Koketso Mokwana and Jessica Mahlangu, were among the youth present at the South African Investment Conference 2022.
Youth skill development will have to be prioritised if South Africa’s investment drive is to bear real fruit.
This is according to heads of business who took part in the fourth annual SA Investment Conference, where the government is aiming to attract R1.2-trillion in investments by next year in a bid to boost infrastructure, energy and manufacturing projects as part of job creation and ensuring economic growth.
Birch Acres residents, Koketso Mokwana and Jessica Mahlangu, were among the youth present at the conference held in March.
The local youngsters, who both thrive to succeed in the fashion industry, mingled and networked with investors for possible opportunities. Mokwana and Mahlangu were also seen spending time with the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Naspers SA CEO, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, said the country was not doing enough to meet the demands of digital skilling despite having a youthful population which was critical for the new economy.
“Right now we still continue to be a net importer of skilling, but we have the capability of becoming a net importer of those skills,” said Mahanyele-Dabengwa.
Anglo-American CEO, Mark Cutifani, warned that there was no value in being destructive on the part of business, which he said had to constructively work with the government on its stated objective on key development challenges.
