By: The Youth Voice Reporter
The Mpumalanga provincial government, led by Premier Mandla Ndlovu together with Director General Ms Maggie Skosana and senior officials from the Office of the Premier, has met with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) to strengthen collaboration on youth development initiatives across the province.
The high-level engagement focused on expanding opportunities for young people and ensuring they are placed at the centre of economic growth, entrepreneurship, and job creation.During the meeting, NYDA CEO Dr Sunshine Myende presented key programmes aimed at improving youth access to employment, training, and funding opportunities.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of young people in driving transformation in key sectors such as tourism, which continues to play a vital role in attracting investment and visitors to Mpumalanga.Premier Ndlovu emphasized government’s commitment to working with institutions like the NYDA to ensure that youth are meaningfully integrated into the mainstream economy, in line with the 7th Administration’s Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), which focuses on reducing poverty and unemployment.
A key highlight of the engagement was the introduction of the Phanda Thursday Campaign, a youth-focused initiative designed to shift young people away from negative activities and connect them directly with opportunities. The campaign will be implemented through partnerships with government, the private sector, mining companies, and other stakeholders.Dr Myende explained that Phanda Thursday is aimed at actively reaching young people and exposing them to real opportunities in employment, skills development, and funding.
The initiative will officially be launched on 28 May 2026 in Secunda, Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, with a national rollout expected to follow. The launch is expected to attract young people from across the country.The collaboration signals a stronger push by government and NYDA to ensure that youth empowerment is not just a policy goal, but a lived reality for young people in Mpumalanga and beyond.