A Bold Step Forward: Appoint a 25-Year-Old as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition

By Tinashe T.T. Mpasiri

The recent dismissal of Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition has created a vacuum in one of the most crucial portfolios in government, a department tasked with shaping the country’s industrial policy, attracting investment, and stimulating entrepreneurship.

While political reshuffles are nothing new, what stands out is the deafening silence on who will step into this role. But perhaps more concerning is how easily we may default to the same pool of familiar names, seasoned, recycled, and often far removed from the realities of South Africa’s young population.

This is precisely the moment for a bold and symbolic decision: Appoint a 25-year-old to the position of Deputy Minister.

Some may scoff at the idea. They’ll say 25 is too young, too inexperienced, too idealistic. But that cynicism is exactly what has robbed South Africa of the kind of leadership that can see the world not just as it is, but as it could be. We are a country where over 60% of the population is under 35, and yet youth remain shut out from real corridors of power. We are told to wait our turn — a turn that often never comes.

The trade and industry portfolio is the heartbeat of economic development. It requires energy, innovation, and a willingness to disrupt the status quo. These are qualities that many young South Africans possess in abundance — especially those who have already built businesses from the ground up, mastered digital platforms, and understand the demands of a rapidly shifting global economy.

We don’t suffer from a shortage of talent among the youth. We suffer from a shortage of imagination among those who appoint.

A 25-year-old deputy minister would send a message far beyond the Union Buildings. It would be a declaration that leadership is not defined by age, but by ideas and the courage to implement them. It would inspire a generation currently disillusioned by politics. It would be a living rebuttal to the myth that youth are only fit to be “beneficiaries” rather than “architects” of policy.

To the President and the Government of National Unity: if you are serious about inclusion, about transformation, and about a future that truly belongs to all who live in it, prove it. Make history. Appoint a 25-year-old.

Let it not be said that in the hour of opportunity, we chose safety over vision. Let this be the moment we chose to trust the future, and the young minds who are ready to lead it.