PRETORIA, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African youths are set to play a crucial role in the much-anticipated campaign the country’s official marketing agency has launched to promote active citizenry and ensure locals contribute to positive change.

Play Your Part, a scheme of Brand South Africa which also aims to spearhead social cohesion, has been launched for schools nationwide.

The official activation has been held at the Dr William Frederick (WF) Nkomo

Secondary School in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria.

This has paved way for more activations at schools around the country.

Brand South Africa, in collaboration with the renowned comedians Goliath and

Goliath, who are also Play Your Part ambassadors, have arranged a series of

masterclasses aimed at Grade 11 and 12 learners. The objective is to promote

innovation and entrepreneurial culture under the theme “Play Your Part, turn your ideas into currency.”

In an interview with CAJ News, Brand South Africa’s General Manager of Marketing, Sithembile Ntombela, said it was essential to get youth involved in Play Your Part.

“South Africa is a very young country, with almost all of our population being youths,” she said.

Ntombela pointed out the scholars Brand South was targeting would in the coming years be active in the economy.

“We are talking to tomorrow’s leaders. It is in these youngsters that we are

culminating the spirit of starting something. There is more you can do and start that demanding a job after competing studies,” she said.

Youths are worst affected by unemployment in South Africa.

Donovan Goliath, Play Your Part ambassador, said the current generation of scholars urged the youths to make the most of technological advancements to empower themselves, uplift their communities and subsequently enhance the country’s development.

“The current generation has access to a lot more information and access to the world essentially with the development of smartphones, social media and the internet. They won’t really have an excuse not to be educated in certain topics. It’s all out there for them. It’s only how they mobilise it,” he said in an interview with CAJ News.

Nare Salmina Rankale, Principal of the Dr WF Nkomo, expressed pride after the school was chosen to host the launch of nationwide school activations.

“It is befitting that the school will be 50 years this year as well as our high pass rate in national exams. Last year, we achieved a matric exams pass rate of 91,22 percent, and we were the best performing school in Attredgiville,” she enthused.

The next activation will be held in Mpumalanga later this month.

“Our objective is to go nationwide, with our focus on township and semi-rural schools, which we believe are hungry for information and need motivation,” Ntombela said.

She expressed encouragement at the launch in Attredgeville.

“It was overwhelming! We reached over 1 000 youngsters. This is just the beginning. We intend to reach a whole lot more. These learners are enthusiastic. They are willing to play a part they just don’t know how to start,” Ntombela concluded.