At a time when youth unemployment in South Africa sits at 41% and exceeds 90% in parts of the Vaal, a powerful, solutions-driven story is taking shape.

Vaal EmpowaYouth Week 2026 (20–24 April, Sebokeng) is not another conference. It’s a live economic activation platform delivering real outcomes in real time from job placements and enterprise funding to accredited skills and industry access.

Bringing together over 10,000 young people, alongside business leaders, funders, and innovators, the initiative focuses on unlocking opportunities across the digital economy, green innovation, creative industries, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.

At the centre of this movement is Simphiwe Masiza, Founder and Executive Producer of EmpowaYouth, who is available for interviews. Simphiwe can speak to:

• Scalable solutions to South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis
• Why the Vaal is a critical site for economic revival
• How EmpowaYouth is moving beyond dialogue to measurable impact
• The role of public-private partnerships in driving youth economic participation

With a proven track record of reaching over 198,000 youth, facilitating 690 jobs, and funding 150 township businesses, this is a story of real, measurable change.