South Africa: President Ramaphosa appoints National Youth Development Agency board members
An Act of Parliament established the NYDA, primarily to address challenges faced by the nation's youth.
The Agency functions as a single, unitary structure addressing youth development issues at national, provincial and local government level.
President Ramaphosa has appointed the following Board members:
- Ms Kelly Sandra Baloyi
- Ms Thembisile Precious Mahuwa
- Mr Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya
- Mr Sibusiso Makhathini
- Dr Wiseman Mfaniseni Mbatha
- Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende
- Mx Busisiwe Nandipha Nxumalo
President Ramaphosa has also, in terms of Section 9(5)(a) of the NYDA Act, designated Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende as the chairperson of the of the National Youth Development Agency Board, and Mr Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya as the deputy chairperson of the Board.
The President appreciates the willingness of the Board members to avail themselves for the national task of securing a promising future for the nation through the empowerment of young people.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Empower girls today to build an equal Zimbabwe tomorrow, United Nation (UN) Working Group says
Zimbabwe must urgently invest in girls' rights, education, and safety to ensure gender equality becomes a lived reality for future generations, a UN Working Group said today. Concluding an official visit to the country, the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, issued a statement commending Zimbabwe's constitutional commitment to gender equality and welcoming legislative and programmatic initiatives to advance the rights of women and girls. 'Despite the Government's efforts, persistent discrimination and entrenched patriarchal norms continue to deny girls their fundamental rights and limit their future opportunities,' the Working Group said. 'As one interlocutor told the Working Group during our visit, in Zimbabwe, gender equality is not a choice, it is a constitutional obligation,' the experts said. 'Zimbabwe must actively confront and eradicate patriarchal attitudes that undervalue girls, creating a society which nurtures their potential as future leaders, innovators and changemakers.' The experts expressed particular concern about the prevalence of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. In Zimbabwe, 1.4 million women were married before age 18, and 241,000 before the age of 15. Despite the Marriages Act (2022) setting 18 as the legal minimum age and criminalising child marriage, there have been no prosecutions. Teenage pregnancy remains high at 23%, with nearly 43% of adolescents becoming sexually active before 18 years of age. When seeking sexual and reproductive services, girls face stigma, misinformation about parental consent, and limited access to youth-friendly care. Many are forced to leave school, undermining their long-term wellbeing and independence. The Working Group urged the Government to upscale, resource, and implement targeted interventions for girls, especially those who are from low-income and rural backgrounds, pregnant, married, or otherwise marginalised, and combat discriminatory attitudes within families and communities that undervalue girls' education. They welcomed progress in reducing maternal mortality and introducing national strategies on gender-based violence (GBV), reflected in expanded access to reproductive health services and legal aid in some areas. 'However, child sexual abuse remains a serious concern, with girls left behind by migrant worker parents, unaccompanied minors, girls with disabilities, orphaned girls, and girls belonging to religious sects being particularly vulnerable,' the experts said. They also noted that despite the passage of relevant laws, online spaces increasingly restrict the freedom of expression of women and girls, with frequent targeting through cyberbullying, revenge pornography, victim-blaming, and gendered disinformation. In some provinces, the Working Group was informed that GBV risks for women and girls are exacerbated by an increasing drug and substance abuse crisis, largely among young men. The experts called on the Government to increase anti-GBV sensitisation campaigns, expand training for law enforcement and the judiciary on victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches, and ensure timely prosecutions. 'The Government should adequately resource shelters and One-Stop Centres, which are essential services and a core State responsibility.' The experts stressed the need to ensure that gender equality is embraced as a societal value that benefits all. 'Gender equality is not a zero-sum goal—men and boys also stand to benefit significantly from a more just and equal society,' they said. The Working Group called on the Government to promote public awareness campaigns and prioritise 'human rights education for boys and girls, grounded in the values of equality, dignity, and autonomy.' 'Gender equality must be more than a promise on paper—it must become a lived reality for every woman and girl in Zimbabwe,' they said. The Working Group will present its final report on the visit to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2026. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Courtesy Call on Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO by Mr. Toufik MILAT Ambassador-Designate of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria to Japan
On August 8, Mr. MATSUMOTO, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call by Mr. Toufik Milat, Ambassador-Designate of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria to Japan. The overview is as follows. At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto welcomed the arrival of Ambassador-Designate Milat who has extensive experiences. He then expressed his will to continue discussion to further strengthen bilateral relations to develop bilateral economic cooperation in various areas, based on the first meeting of the Japan-Algeria Intergovernmental Joint Economic Committee held in May. In response, Ambassador-Designate Milat expressed his aspiration to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economy. Both sides concurred to continue actively exchanging high-level visits between the two countries, and to cooperate in advancing Japan-Algeria relations in various fields, including economy and diplomacy. He also expressed his desire to continue discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, building on the multifaceted development of economic cooperation, including the first Joint Economic Committee held in May. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
British high commissioner pays courtesy call on Minister of Foreign Affairs
AFRICA The Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Odongo Abubakhar held a meeting with H.E Lisa Chesney, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Uganda at the Ministry Headquarters in Kampala. The meeting focused at bilateral issues of mutual interest between the two governments, including peace and security developments in the Great Lakes region. They also discussed Uganda's level of preparedness for the upcoming 2026 general elections Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda - Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an 'as is' and 'as available' basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release. The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages. © ZAWYA 2025