Youth Month: building the next generation of logistics leaders

JD Van Der Merwe, Head of Talent, and Shamona Chinnappa, National Training & Compliance Manager; Bidvest International Logistics.

Youth Month draws attention to one of South Africa’s most urgent challenges: how to turn potential into real, sustained employment.

For business, this is not a seasonal conversation. It requires deliberate, long term investment in creating meaningful career pathways for young people, supported by practical experience and ongoing development.

According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2025, youth unemployment stands at 43.8%, underscoring how many young people are still waiting for a first real opportunity. While there have been incremental shifts, the outlook for many remains uncertain.

For the logistics industry, this presents both a constraint and a responsibility.