By Emily Setona
BOTSHABELO – Hundreds of young people from across the Mangaung Metro gathered at Samson Sefuthi Hall in Botshabelo on Friday, 4 July 2025, for the Mangaung Youth Expo — a dynamic event aimed at connecting youth with opportunities in business, education, and employment.
Learners, graduates, and aspiring entrepreneurs described the expo as eye-opening. “Today we came to the youth expo and engaged with different departments. We were introduced to a variety of careers, and young people in business also discovered new opportunities,” said local youth Teboho Magetha.
Thabo Raboroko, a learner from Popano Secondary School in Botshabelo, said the experience shifted his perspective on life.
“What I learned today is that young people should choose their careers wisely and work like slaves now so that one day they can live like kings,” he said.
The event was hosted in partnership with national and provincial government departments, the private sector, and various state entities. It provided practical information and exposed youth to resources in sectors such as ICT, manufacturing, and enterprise development.
In support of this mission, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) held a build-up session the day before the main event. The department brought along entities including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the National Consumer Commission (NCC), and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) to engage directly with attendees.
Nyiko Nkuna, Acting Head of Communication and Marketing at the dtic, said their presence in Botshabelo was a strategic move to support grassroots enterprise development.“Our presence was not symbolic, but was a direct effort to promote inclusive growth and equip young people with tools for economic participation,” Nkuna said.
He added that the department provided crucial information on business registration, intellectual property protection, funding, and support for black-owned enterprises and co-operatives.Delivering the keynote address, Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae acknowledged the challenges facing the youth, particularly unemployment.
“These may not be desperate times yet, but they certainly call for urgent action. Job creation remains one of our top priorities,” she said.
Letsoha-Mathae urged learners to take full advantage of the opportunities presented.“Let us use our time at this Youth Expo to empower each other. Everything starts with us – keeping our towns clean and tackling crime in our communities is how we build a prosperous province,” she added.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai, echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of open dialogue about unemployment.
“We need to talk about the issue of unemployment; it cannot be a secret. That’s why we’ve spent time with youth in business and those seeking further education,” said Mohai.
The Mangaung Youth Expo offered more than information; it gave young people a sense of agency. It allowed them to voice their concerns, explore career paths, and understand how to shape their futures with the support of government and industry.
For many, it was not just an event but the beginning of something greater.
