Johannesburg, South Africa – 30 May 2025 – As South Africa prepares to mark Youth Month this June, a time to honour the courage and contributions of the 1976 generation, Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking, in partnership with the GIBS Entrepreneurship Development Academy (EDA), has opened applications for the 2025 Youth Forward Programme. The initiative is designed to empower 50 black youth-owned businesses with the tools and support needed to drive sustainable growth in today’s tough economic climate.
This comes at a critical moment for South Africa’s young population. According to Statistics South Africa, the youth unemployment rate (ages 15–34) surged to 46.1% in Q1 2025, up from 44.6% the previous quarter. Even more concerning, 62.4% of youth aged 15–24 are unemployed. These figures underscore the urgency of inclusive programmes that address the barriers young people face in accessing economic opportunities.
Youth Month commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising, a turning point in the struggle for equality in education. Today, it stands as a national call to action to invest in youth development and enable their full participation in South Africa’s economy.
“Youth Month is not only a time to reflect on the sacrifices of our young people but also to invest in their future,” says Naledzani Mosomane, Head of Enterprise Development at Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank South Africa. “Through the Youth Forward Programme, we aim to transform the entrepreneurial landscape for black youth, equipping them with the skills, networks, and resources to build sustainable businesses.”
“We are excited to continue working with Standard Bank to unlock the potential of young entrepreneurs,” adds Ms. Guinivere Pedro – Senior Programme Manager for the GIBS Entrepreneurship Development Academy. “This programme equips participants with practical tools and strategic thinking to sustain and grow their businesses.”
The programme is open to entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, running businesses with at least 51% black ownership and a minimum of R100,000 in annual revenue. Applicants must be South African citizens with registered businesses that have been in operation for at least 12 months. While the programme blends online and in-person learning, preference is given to entrepreneurs in Gauteng and surrounding provinces due to the location of physical sessions in Johannesburg.
Participants will benefit from structured business training, mentorship, and access to a network of peers and industry leaders.
This programme forms part of Standard Bank BCB’s broader commitment to inclusive entrepreneurship. It is one of the bank’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programmes, which provide essential support aimed at enabling more township entrepreneurs to start, manage, and grow SMMEs, contributing meaningfully to South Africa’s development.
If you are a young entrepreneur ready to scale your business, this is your chance. Apply now and be part of a generation driving South Africa’s economic renewal. Applications close on 3 June 2025 and can be completed HERE (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HWQCWSP).
Nessie Pork
Phuti Mahanyele – Former CEO of Shanduka Group, current Sigma Capital Executive Chair: At 17, she left South Africa to pursue her studies, and obtained a bachelor\’s degree in Economics and earned an MBA from De Montfort University. She would also later go on to complete Harvard University\’s Kennedy School of Government executive education programme. Determined to be a success, Mahanyele joined an international investment banking company specialising in infrastructural development in New York City called Fieldstone Private Capital Group. She later became Vice-President of the firm, then transferred to the company\’s office in South Africa. After returning to South Africa, she became the head of Project Finance South Africa at the Development Back of Southern Africa. She was headhunted, and advanced to the position of managing director of Shanduka Energy, later becoming the CEO of Shanduka Group. She would go on to hold this position for 10 years, securing major deals including those with Coca-Cola and McDonalds. In 2007, she was selected as a Global Young Leader by the World Economic Forum. In 2009, she won the Rutgers Visions of Excellence award and The Most Influential Woman in Government and Business award from Rutgers University. In 2011, she was named one of the 20 youngest power women in Africa by Forbes. In 2013, she won the Distinguished Achievement award by the Douglass Society.