The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) hosted a virtual meeting to commemorate Youth Day, on 16 June 2020.
The meeting discussed opportunities that youth can utilize and featured various successful personalities such as Dj Sbu, Linda Ntuli, and Gugulethu Xaba to guide students and unemployed youth about opportunities that are out there.
Mr Linda Ntuli, a successful author, speaker, and an entrepreneur, said education is not the only tool one needs to succeed, ‘‘One also needs to have self-awareness and time to invest in yourself to reflect and to ensure that the day you are about to face is going to be productive,
“You also need to have the hunger to change your situation, to move on and to make sure that you become an achiever not a complainer.
“If you are not depositing anything you are not going to be able to withdraw anything, you need to have the inspiration to finish your course, study even during the COVID-19 period,’’ he said.
Director of Student Governance and Leadership, Mr Gugulethu Xaba, said ‘‘TUT strategic plan for 2020- 2025 aims at developing future-ready graduates who will make a positive societal impact.
He said the youth of today who rose to the Fees Must Fall Movement in 2016 are like the leaders of the 60s such as Mandela, Sisulu, and Tambo who confronted death and arrest to achieve liberation.
‘The Fees Must Fall Generation led the dignity of the people, a struggle for dreams deferred, people were having RDP Houses, but young people were not getting free education, students rose and they got free education,’’ Mr Xaba said.
Mr Sbusiso Leope, popularly known as Dj Sbu says, said ‘‘the economy is collapsing and affecting entrepreneurs the most.
“I was one of the lucky people who have started a business on social media and took advantage of social media to grow brands without having to pay millions for advertising.
He encouraged the students to start websites, hustles, and learn how to sell online.
“You guys are in a better position than ever before even better than the fees must fall generations and the 1976 generation. All of you are on the internet and a lot of businesses are started by the youth on the internet, so take advantage of the situation,’’ DJ Sbu said.