As South Africa commemorates Youth Day on 16 June and Youth Month throughout June, the University of Pretoria (UP) is profiling young adults among our students, staff and alumni who embody UP’s commitment to its values of Action, Collaboration, Excellence, and Diversity.

Tshiamo Kaybee Makunye, Deputy President of UP’s Student Representative Council (SRC), has so far lived a journey that embodies resilience, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to transformation.

“I am a proud son of the dusty, sun-scorched streets of Makouspan Village, Mafikeng, a place often forgotten but deeply rich in spirit, culture and resilience,” says Makunye, who is currently in his final year in UP’s Faculty of Education. He is the eldest of four siblings raised by his mother, who has worked as a domestic worker for over 21 years. “Her sacrifices, dignity, and unshaken belief in the value of education laid the foundation for everything I am today.” 

His commitment to leadership began long before university. “In high school, I started an initiative called Learning Without Fear, which later evolved into the Makunye Educational Foundation. That platform became my first tool to fight educational inequality and to empower fellow learners with the courage to believe in their potential.”

Makunye believes leadership is more than a role – it is a calling. “Leadership, for me, is not a title. It’s a responsibility to carry the hopes and frustrations of those whose voices have been silenced or ignored. It is about stepping into the fire, so that others may walk free.”

Reflecting on Youth Day, Makunye describes it as “sacred”, adding that, “It is not just a public holiday, it is a spiritual reminder of our history, our pain, and our purpose.” He honours the South African youth of 1976 who stood up to the apartheid regime after the 16 June Soweto Youth Uprising. “They fought for dignity, access to quality education, and the right to define their future on their own terms. They faced bullets, we face bureaucracies. They were beaten, we are blocked. But the mission remains the same: freedom in our lifetime.”

Addressing today’s challenges, Makunye warns of systemic exclusion faced by youth. “Unemployment is not just a statistic; it’s a heavy chain, choking dreams. Job applications that require years of experience from a 22-year-old, nepotism favouring connections over competence, and corruption that kills hope before it even takes shape,  these are daily realities for many youth.”

Yet, he remains hopeful. “We are tech-savvy, socially aware, politically conscious, and globally connected. We have the tools to challenge broken systems and to innovate. But only if we are united, courageous and relentless.”

In his leadership role at UP, Makunye has fought tirelessly for students’ rights. “Since the start of my term, my team and I have worked to dismantle the silent injustices students face. We’ve pushed for affordable and fairer meal pricing at TuksRes, advocated for language inclusivity to ensure every student feels seen and heard, and fought for the insourcing of workers, because dignity must never be outsourced.”

For Youth Day and Youth Month, Makunye’s message to young South Africans is urgent and powerful: “To every young person across South Africa: You matter. Your voice, your story, your struggle, they matter. We come from different provinces, backgrounds and realities, but our pain is shared, and so is our power. Let us not compete, let us collaborate. Let us not wait, let us act.”

Looking forward, Makunye envisions a radical and inclusive future for youth leadership. “I see a future where young leaders are not just voices in meetings but decision-makers in boardrooms, cabinets and communities. A future where youth leadership is intersectional, inclusive of women, LGBTQIA+ voices, people with disabilities and those from rural areas. We will not wait for permission to lead. We are the generation that will bend history toward justice, and we will do it together.”