The 35,000 – The Crushing Numbers: A CSI Wake-Up Call For A Generation Lost

As we move into the second quarter of the year, the success of our CSI Legacy Awards now feels like a distant memory. While the accolades and partnerships from that celebration continue to affirm our direction—many stretching to 2030—an unexpected recent event has brought a sobering perspective that we can no longer ignore.

While we were planning a transformative new initiative that had the potential to manage R500 million in impact funding, we paused. Not because the vision was flawed, but because a moment of reflection made us realise our house needed strengthening first. We redirected our focus inward—to streamline systems, reinforce our foundations, and ensure Simphiwe Mtetwa was ready to carry the weight of what’s to come. And then something happened. Something that redefined the urgency of our work.

We posted a job advert for a single junior position in our marketing and communications team. Within five hours, the listing received over 15,000 impressions and 200 applications. By hour twelve, that number had climbed to 35,000 impressions and over 300 CVs.

This wasn’t just a strong response. It was a collective cry for help.
Three hundred applications in half a day. For one entry-level role.

It was not simply a matter of high volume—it was a heartbreaking reflection of our youth’s desperation for opportunity. It confirmed what the data has already told us: South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis is deepening at a dangerous pace. In the final quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate for 15 to 24-year-olds soared above 44%. These are not just statistics; they are lives filled with potential, stuck in limbo.

The flood of CVs shook us. It overwhelmed our team, who have to sift through hundreds of heartfelt attempts by young people to escape economic stagnation. But it also gave us clarity: we, as practitioners and custodians of Corporate Social Investment, cannot stand idly by while this crisis deepens.

The answer is clear. We must act.

This overwhelming response has fast-tracked the implementation of a long-discussed programme: the Growth, Action and Purpose (GAP) Programme. This initiative is designed to empower 2.5 million young people across Africa by 2030—beginning with the nine million currently entering tertiary institutions across the African continent.

We are now actively seeking partners to bring this vision to life. The 35,000 people who responded to one advert are not just numbers—they are individuals with aspirations and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to society. Their sheer presence compels us to act.

We’ve seen what corporate solidarity can achieve. The Solidarity Fund during the pandemic mobilised billions. We need a similar approach—where CSI is not just about isolated good deeds but a strategic and collective effort to absorb and activate youth potential at scale.

At Simphiwe Mtetwa, we are starting with action. We are committing to take on five youth to help us launch a new division dedicated to GAP. We are hiring a team of four, investing in their development over the next six to eight months, and preparing to fully launch the programme early in 2026.

Our recent experience with the CSI Legacy Awards reinforced what we already knew: young people want to contribute. We engaged 30 volunteers for just R700 each—proving both their willingness and the power of modest investment.

Now, we call on corporate South Africa to join us.
A dedicated website will soon provide complete details about the GAP programme. Our vision is bold: to engage over 50,000 South African youth in our first year. By 2030, we aim to reach 2.5 million across the continent.

One of our new team members will be reaching out to you shortly with a detailed brief and an invitation to become a founding partner in this critical work.

Our new investment is not a solution—it is a commitment. This is a pledge that we will not turn our backs. We will not settle for hiring just one person, while 35,000 others are left waiting in vain. We recognise the urgency of the current situation.

This is a moment for collective action. South Africa’s future depends on what we do next.

Let us rise—together.