IVOR ICHIKOWITZ
Who will create the next generation of jobs in South Africa and across Africa?
At One Young World Summit in Cape Town, a leading African investor is supporting ten young founders with the potential to become employers — and exploring what young Africans want from business, government and international partners.
Cape Town, South Africa (3–6 November 2026): Asked what Africa most needs to develop, 35% of young South Africans chose the creation of new, well-paying jobs — a higher proportion than in any other African country included in the 2026 African Youth Survey. Across the 16 countries surveyed, job creation also ranked first, followed closely by reducing government corruption. Commissioned by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and conducted by PSB Insights, the African Youth Survey explores young Africans’ views on their lives, economies, political leaders and the continent’s future. Its 2026 edition draws on face-to-face interviews with 4,901 people aged 18–24 across 16 African countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya.
As more than 2,200 young leaders arrive for the One Young World Summit in Cape Town, Ivor Ichikowitz, Chairman of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and a major investor in African businesses, is available to explain why South Africa and the wider continent need to support not only young people looking for work, but young people capable of creating it. As founding partner of One Young World’s National Programme for Job-Generating Entrepreneurs, his Foundation is helping ten selected South African founders develop businesses in AI, recruitment, agriculture, education, transport and the creative industries. Through mentoring, business networks and introductions to potential investors and commercial partners, the programme aims to turn existing entrepreneurial promise into sustainable businesses and more jobs — offering lessons relevant to young entrepreneurs across Africa.
Across the countries surveyed, the African Youth Survey found that:
- 27% prioritised creating new, well-paying jobs for Africa’s progress, followed by 25% who prioritised reducing government corruption and 16% who selected making it easier to start a business.
- 73% said democracy is always preferable to any other form of government, while 76% said leaders are out of touch with young people’s needs and aspirations.
- 56% said Western-style democracy is not suitable for Africa and that a new African model is needed.
- 55% favoured international partners able to deliver practical benefits such as trade and investment, regardless of their system of government. 43% identified infrastructure and economic investment as a priority when choosing international allies.
Ivor will discuss these findings during “We Are Not The Future: We Are Now” panel session, exploring what young people in South Africa and across Africa want from their leaders and the opportunities they need to build their futures. He will also present “Remembering Soweto: 50 Years On”, including a screening of a short Soweto uprising tribute film and reflections on African storytelling. The presentation builds on the Ichikowitz Family Foundation’s African Oral History Archive (AOHA), which preserves and shares African history through filmed interviews and documentaries, connecting South Africa’s experience with the wider importance of Africans telling their own stories.
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