PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

– HON. SPHILA DLAMINI

South Africa’s youth are ready to build, own, and trade —not wait. SAYBC is the platform for young entrepreneurs to break the cycle of dependency, take charge oftheir economic future, and compete on equal footing locally and globally.

Our Chamber is unapologetically pro-business, pro-trade, and pro-ownership. We believe in empowering youth to build real wealth, not temporary favors. Through SAYBC, we will dismantle outdated barriers, challenge dependency models, and unleash the full potential of Africa’s youth entrepreneurs.

For far too long, policies like B-BBEE have created the illusion of empowerment while entrenching gatekeeping, cronyism, and dependency. SAYBC stands for a new economic paradigm — one where youth are not reduced to racial quotas, butare recognized as innovators, job creators, and future captains of industry. We believe that real empowerment is achieved through ownership, equity participation, and access to competitive markets, not by waiting for state handouts.

Our future lies in the realization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), where borders open to youth-led businesses ready to trade, innovate, and scale. Through SAYBC, we will build the networks, influence the policies, and unlock the capital needed to make young South African entrepreneurs the face of Africa’s rising markets.

The time is now!