KYP mayoral candidate proposes private-sector solution to youth unemployment - IOL

JHB Mayoral Candidate Galston Anthony urges shift from government job creation to youth entrepreneurship in Gauteng.

Johannesburg mayoral candidate Galston Anthony, contesting under the Know Your Power (KYP) party, has called for an overhaul of South Africa’s approach to youth unemployment, arguing that the government must transition from acting as a primary employer to a facilitator of private-sector opportunities.

Speaking during a community outreach visit to Ward 100 in Cosmo City, Anthony warned that temporary interventions and traditional public-sector job creation models are no longer sufficient to address the scale of the country's youth crisis.

“We cannot continue telling young people that they are the future while leaving them without meaningful opportunities in the present,” Anthony said.

“The question should not only be how many jobs the government can create. We should also be asking how we create an environment where thousands of businesses can grow and employ people,” he added.

Highlighting Gauteng's position as the nation's economic epicentre, Anthony emphasised that the province has a distinct duty to establish viable avenues for young South Africans to pursue entrepreneurship, secure investments, and achieve business ownership.

He called on decision-makers and corporate stakeholders to shift their perspective on young people—moving away from viewing them merely as recipients of social support and instead recognising them as key drivers of the urban economy and future enterprise owners.

Anthony, whose background spans over two decades in the creative and entertainment industries — including filmmaking, music, brand management, and digital media — noted that his perspective is rooted in real-world business experience.

He emphasised that talent in marginalised communities is abundant, but businesses frequently fail to grow because founders lack access to growth capital, high-level networks, and broader commercial markets.