Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Regina Mhaule, joined guests, partners, and stakeholders at the launch of the Clement Manyathela Foundation at Primedia Place, Sandton, on 19 August 2026.
The Foundation is built around a powerful question: “What do we owe the children who come from where we come from?” Through its commitment to opening pathways and shaping futures, the Foundation focuses on mentorship; career guidance; and psychosocial support to help young people, particularly those in rural communities, navigate their futures with confidence.
The launch highlights the importance of investing in young people and ensuring that their circumstances do not determine where they finish. By providing the right guidance, support and opportunities, we can help young people realise their potential and build brighter futures.
Deputy Minister Mhaule congratulated Clement Manyathela and the entire team behind the Foundation on the important and inspiring milestone: “A foundation may be launched in one evening, but its true measure of success will be seen in the lives it changes, the young people it supports, the dreams it restores, and the opportunities it creates. May the Clement Manyathela Foundation grow from strength to strength and continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of many”.
In his address, Clement Manyathela, reflected on the need to support young people earlier in their journeys. He highlighted the growing need for psychosocial support and career guidance in rural schools, where learners face challenges including poverty, violence, trauma and limited access to professional support, adding that learners should not have to wait until university, unemployment or a personal crisis before they are introduced to opportunities, career possibilities and emotional support. Through the Foundation, he seeks to help close these gaps by providing young people with the guidance, support, and exposure they need to navigate their futures with confidence. “We will begin earlier if we truly believe that children are our future. And tonight is about beginning earlier.”
The Foundation’s work is anchored in the following core areas: these include creating safe, structured and professionally guided spaces for learners to receive support, speak openly about the pressures they carry, and access appropriate referral pathways where required. Career guidance is important to connect learners to career information, mentors, professional networks, and leaders who can help them understand available pathways into higher education, work, enterprise, and public life. The Foundation also supports learners and schools with learning resources, exposure opportunities and practical assistance that can help level the playing field. The Foundation will begin its work at Hlalakahle High School in Vaalbank, Mpumalanga, with the intention to build a model that can be refined and expanded responsibly to other rural schools over time.