Johannesburg, 13 June 2025 – Hundreds of young people flooded the streets of Johannesburg in a powerful call for economic justice through climate action. Backed by Greenpeace Africa, they waved hand-painted placards, their chants echoing across pavements, in a shared urgency drawn together by a generation raised on promises — and now demanding delivery. This Youth Day, South Africa’s youth were not just commemorating the past; they marched for a future they refuse to be excluded from.
At the heart of their demand was a clear message: a Just Transition must mean green jobs for young people, now.
“We don’t want to be statistics anymore. We want to be builders of the new economy,” said Aphiwe, a 24-year-old graduate who’s been unemployed for over a year. “Give us the skills. Give us the tools. Let us work — not just survive.”
With youth unemployment sitting above 60%, South Africa’s young people are caught in a worsening economic storm. Yet they also represent the country’s greatest untapped human resource; bold, informed, and ready to act. The renewable energy sector offers a lifeline: up to five times more jobs than the fossil fuel economy.
But that opportunity remains out of reach for many. Through this march, the youth- in a memorandum presented to the labour ministry – demanded access to skilling and upskilling programmes, inclusion in climate and economic planning, and investment in clean energy infrastructure that benefits communities, not corporations.
“South Africa’s young people aren’t just demanding jobs. They’re demanding a future where those jobs are sustainable, dignified, and part of solving the climate crisis,” says Siyabonga Myeza, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa.
This isn’t the first time youth have taken to the streets on June 16, a date seared into South African memory. In 1976, students marched for the right to education. In 2025, they march for the right to work, to be heard, and to live on a planet that hasn’t been plundered past repair.
“This generation sees the link between economic injustice and climate injustice. Their message is clear: we cannot afford to wait any longer,” said Cynthia Moyo, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa.
Greenpeace Africa stands shoulder-to-shoulder with these young leaders, calling on the South African government, private sector, and civil society to honour their vision, not with speeches but with action.
This Youth Day, the call will ring out from city streets and rural corners alike:
“No jobs on a dead planet. No future without the youth.”
ENDS.
For more information, contact:
Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, email: [email protected], cell: +254 722 505 233
Greenpeace Africa Press Desk:[email protected]
