By 
BLOEMFONTEIN – Marking Youth Day on June 16, 2026, the Free State MEC for Social Development, Mathabo Hlalele, issued a powerful call to action for the province’s youth. She urged them to draw strength from the historic 1976 generation to combat contemporary struggles, including poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse.
In a media statement released by the department, MEC Hlalele paid tribute to the brave young men and women who stood up against injustice fifty years ago. She emphasized that while the challenges facing today’s youth have evolved, they require the exact same spirit of discipline, determination, and commitment.
Driving Economic Transformation
According to Hlalele, the Free State Provincial Department of Social Development is placing young people at the absolute center of economic transformation. Rather than viewing youth merely as beneficiaries, the department is positioning them as active drivers of innovation and economic growth.
To help young people “make their own history,” the MEC highlighted several key sectors for opportunity, including:
- Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development
- Agriculture and Technology
- Education and Skills Development
“Our investments in youth-owned enterprises, cooperatives, agricultural projects, and community development programmes are helping young people become job creators rather than job seekers,” Hlalele stated.
These interventions are explicitly aimed at reducing poverty, tackling rampant unemployment, and ensuring meaningful inclusion in the provincial economy. To scale these initiatives, the department continues to collaborate with the National Development Agency (NDA), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), municipalities, civil society, and the private sector to expand access to internships, learnerships, and funding.
Combatting Substance Abuse and Teenage Pregnancy
Despite the economic strides, MEC Hlalele expressed deep concern over social challenges threatening the youth, notably criminal networks and drug lords preying on vulnerable individuals. Warning that substance abuse “destroys dreams,” she pleaded with young people not to allow drugs and alcohol to steal their future.
The department has intensified its counter-measures through awareness campaigns and treatment services. Notably, programs like Ke Moja are being utilized to equip young people with the resilience to make informed, healthy choices. Additionally, the MEC welcomed the PHANDA Thursday initiative, which exposes youth to vital information, support services, and development opportunities.
Teenage pregnancy was also highlighted as a critical barrier to progress. Directing her message to young women and girls in the Free State, Hlalele underscored that their education and aspirations matter. She noted that early pregnancy frequently delays progress and limits opportunities, urging young people to make responsible choices, practice protection, or abstain to safeguard their futures.
A Call for Active Citizenship
In closing her address, Hlalele reminded the youth that the future of the Free State does not belong to tomorrow, but to the present. She called on the current generation to reject crime and hopelessness, and instead embrace hard work, education, and active citizenship.
“Let us rise to the challenge and make our own history, just as the youth of 1976 did,” Hlalele concluded.
