This week, News24 brings some of South Africa and the world’s sharpest minds together for one purpose: to map a credible path out of the jobs crisis that has plagued our country.

The News24 On the Record summit, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday and Friday, has one core mandate: to find credible solutions to deliver 5 million jobs in the next decade.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the opening keynote on Thursday. In his recent State of the Nation Address, he pointed to the need for collective problem-solving, and left little room for passivity: “Now is not the time to rest. Now is the time for all South Africans to be part of taking our country forward.”

READ | Ramaphosa to open News24’s jobs and growth summit

News24’s other keynote speakers at the event include professor of economics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Dr Keyu Jin; Irish economist, best-selling author and popular podcaster, David McWilliams; and Investec Asset Management founder and Ninety One CEO, Hendrik du Toit.

Read News24 profile writer Anneliese Burgess’ interviews with them here:

Interview | David McWilliams on rugby, revolution, and changing SA’s economic ‘mood music’

Interview | Ninety One’s Hendrik du Toit on SA turning corner, and braais, red wine and rugby

Interview | Keyu Jin on what West gets wrong about China, and why planned economies can work
Other speakers and panellists at the event include:

• New National Director of Public Prosecutions, Andy Mothibi (read coverage of his recent briefing)
• CEO of Business Against Crime SA, Anton du Plessis (read coverage on him)
• News24 investigative journalist Jeff Wicks (Read his 9 Lives project on Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala)
• Business Leadership SA CEO Busi Mavuso (read her interview)
• GoTyme Bank CEO Cheslyn Jacobs (Listen to a podcast interview)
• Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson (read latest coverage)
• Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke (read latest coverage)
• Youth Employment Services CEO Ravi Naidoo (read his interview)
• Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis (read a recent Q&A, and listen to an interview with him on The Lead podcast) 
• Professor of economics, finance, and strategy at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, Adrian Saville (read coverage of his last On the Record appearance)
• Renowned architect Gita Goven (read her interview)
• Standard Bank political economist Simon Freemantle (read his interview)
• Former Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman (read his interview)
• Ground Work Collective’s Mbali Ntuli (read her interview)
• Former deputy chair of the Planning Commission of India, Dr Montek Ahluwalia
  
• Former finance minister Trevor Manuel (read his interview)
• The DA’s Federal Council chairperson and Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille (read a recent Q&A)
  

See the full agenda of the event:

Panels and discussions focusing on the economy, growth, youth unemployment, black economic empowerment, crime, and the future of our cities will be hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dele Olojede; News24’s assistant editor for investigations Pieter du Toit; Business editor Helena Wasserman; Business writer-at-large Carol Paton; deputy editor Ahmed Areff; and editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson.

Leading our audience through the two days are masters of ceremonies, veteran journalists Devi Sankaree Govender and Bruce Whitfield (Read a profile on them here)

Whitfield, the host of Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week on News24, will also moderate a panel at the summit. (Listen to episodes from his show here)

Last year, News24 partnered with Ipsos to conduct a representative poll on South Africa’s biggest challenges. The answer from South Africans was unequivocal – we need more jobs.

This On the Record summit follows a nine-month research project undertaken by News24 and the Africa Centre, which consulted with around 60 influential South Africans across academia, business, and civil society on tangible solutions to create 5 million jobs in the next 10 years.

News24 has collected that research into a physical booklet that will be distributed at the summit.

You can read a PDF of it here:

Over the past few weeks, News24 also published the research in four special editions of our weekly Friday Briefings.

Read them here:

It’s the economy, stupid (or is it?)

Shut down the construction mafia, build new cities

BEE and EE: Criminalise cronyism, focus on the poor

Crime and corruption: Overhaul SAPS, build leaders

For the full summit programme, visit the On the Record mini site here.