German Delegation Visits YES Netcare Hub to Witness Youth Skills in Action

On 21 July 2025, YES welcomed a distinguished German delegation to the Netcare Ulusha Hub in Alexandra. This event reinforced our ties to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ). This international partnership aims to advance youth employment in South Africa’s green and digital sectors.

The visit focused on showcasing the real-world impact of GIZ-funded YES programmes including training and placements in solar PV, drone technology, digital media, and 3D animation. Training in these fields empowers young South Africans with future-fit skills that unlock pathways to meaningful work.

Distinguished Attendees

We were pleased to welcome German government leaders and institutional partners including:

• Reem Alabali-Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development under Chancellor Friedrich Merz
• Dr. Wolfgang Stefinger: Christian Social Union (CSU) politician serving as a Member of the Bundestag for Munich-East chairing the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
• Jürgen Coße: Social Democratic Party (SPD) Bundestag member representing North Rhine-Westphalia 
• Enrico Brandt: Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, specializing in economic affairs
• Jürgen Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, Chair of the Management Board, GIZ
• Birgit Pickel, Director General for Africa at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel, Chair GIZ Management Board
• Christiane Laibach, Member of the Executive Board of KfW Group, overseeing International Finance

Their presence reflected Germany’s commitment to supporting sustainable youth employment programmes in developing economies.

YES Youth: GIZ Beneficiaries

Our German visitors heard directly from YES Youth who shared how the programme changed their lives, including:

• Thulisile Ntetha (Top 35 Youth Finalist, GIZ Drones Alumni 2023)Thulisile completed her YES Drone Training and now serves as Security Manager at UAV Industries, where she also trains the next generation of drone pilots and has logged over 1,000 incident-free flight hours.
• Thato Mokwebo (Director of Xtronomica (Pty) Ltd, Co-founder of NGO, Ntsika Ye Sizwesethu, GIZ Drones Alumni 2023, 2024 YES Top 35 Under 35)

Thato completed his YES Ulusha Hub training, earned his Remote Pilot License, and ranked in the top 10 of his class. He now directs Xtronomica, a multimedia drone company, and co-runs Ntsika Ye Sizwesethu, a soup kitchen NGO.

• Sasty Mulaudzi (GIZ CPD4E Beneficiary)

Sasty joined the YES Programme to overcome unemployment and gain hands-on experience in renewable energy. She trained at the YES Ulusha Hub and is now gaining practical skills in solar mounting, maintenance, and electrical assistance at Sunthesis (Pty) Ltd, while building the confidence and workplace skills to pursue her dream of founding an environmental academy focused on sustainability and clean energy.

• Ntutuzelo Mfunda (GIZ CPD4E Alumni)

Ntutuzelo completed his YES Ulusha Hub training and was immediately taken on as an intern at Solareff (Pty) Ltd. He is now completing his learnership as a Monitoring Technician, gaining hands-on experience in solar projects, building technical expertise, and developing a strong foundation for a career in renewable energy.

Impact Snapshot

• 522 youth trained in 4IR digital skills, Mixed-media Animation 3D Modelling, Solar PV, and Drone. 
• 3 twelve months quality work experience programmes completed
• Placements in Gauteng, Western Cape, and Mpumalanga
• Opportunities created in high-demand, sustainable industries

This visit showcased what happens when international partners commit to advancing youth empowerment, and long-term career sustainability through the YES programme. YES is proud to work with GIZ and BMZ in building bridges to brighter futures, one skill, one story, and one youth at a time.