SASOLBURG – The Boiketlong Sports Centre was packed to capacity as hundreds of hopeful young people descended on the much-anticipated Bridge to Work Youth Day 2026, hosted by Sasol under the theme: “Pathways to Work: Opportunity in Action.”
The atmosphere was electric on June 26 as job seekers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and community members from Sasol’s fence-line communities gathered in search of opportunities that could change their lives.
The high-profile event attracted several political and business heavyweights, including Metsimaholo Local Municipality Mayor Jack Malindi, Free State MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Ketso Makume, Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth, alongside senior Sasol executives and popular company personalities, including Senior Vice President at Sasol Ntokozo Gcabashe.
Unlike traditional career exhibitions, the Bridge to Work Youth Day was designed as a live, community-centred opportunity platform aimed at connecting young people with real pathways into employment, entrepreneurship and economic participation.
Attendees were allowed to engage directly with industry leaders, explore career paths across various sectors, and learn about entrepreneurship opportunities available within their communities.
The event for entrepreneurs and small businesses was a platform to showcase their products, services, and capabilities, while building networks that could unlock future business opportunities.
From career guidance sessions to business development opportunities, the event offered practical solutions for young people seeking to improve their economic prospects.
Addressing the enthusiastic crowd during her keynote address, Meth emphasised the importance of creating sustainable pathways to employment and empowering young people to become active participants in the country’s economy.
She further extended an invitation to Sasol to partner with the Department of Employment and Labour to expand the #SasolBridgetoWork programme for more unemployed young people to benefit.
“Let us connect employer demand to skills pipelines, create larger placement commitments, deepen pathways into entrepreneurship, design interventions that produce measurable employment outcomes and invite Sasol to become a strategic partner in the youth employment currently being prepared by the department,” she said.
