This milestone summit comes as the first Y20 gathering on African soil and aims to include voices from across the continent, amplifying youth perspectives in addressing global and regional challenges.
Under the South African G20 Presidency theme of “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability”, the Y20 Summit will gather youth delegates from G20 nations, regional representatives, and additional invited nations.
The Y20 Summit will focus on five priority themes aligned with South Africa’s national deliverables and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as the United Nations 2030 Agenda, all reinforcing South Africa’s commitment to social and economic development and climate action.
In 2024 November, South Africa assumed the chairship of the G20 (Group of Twenty), a global grouping representing the world’s largest economies. As part of this leadership role, South Africa will host various engagement groups, including the Y20—the Youth Engagement Group of the G20.
Raymond Matlala is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in international youth diplomacy, business, and policy development. He is a PhD candidate in Business Administration and has played a pivotal role in global youth engagement, particularly through his extensive involvement in the G20 and BRICS. His expertise in international cooperation, youth leadership, and policy advisory has positioned him as a thought leader in shaping youth-driven policy frameworks worldwide. He is currently the executive chairman of the South African BRICS Youth Association and Board Chair of the World Youth Summit NPC, an organization with consultative status at ECOSOC.
Raymond has been actively involved in the G20 participating in Y20, C20 and T20 activities since 2012. He served as the Head of Delegation for South Africa at the Y20 Summit in Argentina in 2018, he effectively represented South African youth interests on a global stage, contributing to critical discussions on economic growth, future employment, and sustainable development. He has participated and co-organizing Model Y20 South Africa since 2015. His involvement in the Y20 has cemented his reputation as an international expert in youth leadership and global policy dialogues.
In addition to his Y20 engagements, Raymond has a strong footprint in international forums, including serving at the Civil BRICS Council South Africa as a co-secretariat and focal person; Committee Chair at BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Young Leaders South African chapter; Honorary Advisor & Expert at The International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation and Technical advisor for the SADC Youth Council. He also has represented South Africa at various high-level global gatherings, such as the UNESCO World Reference Group Meeting, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and the World Trade Organization Public Forum. Euro-BRICS Young Leaders’ Summit in Finland, the BRICS Youth Assembly in Russia, and the International Forum on Parliamentarism.
Through his extensive international engagements and leadership in key global youth forums, Raymond has solidified his status as an international expert in youth policy, diplomacy, and leadership. His unwavering commitment to empowering young leaders and shaping global policies ensures that youth voices remain integral to international decision-making processes.
Moeketsi Koahela
Moeketsi Koahela is an Education and Training Officer of the Youth Activism Programme at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) and serves as Chairperson of National Youth Coalition (NYC), and serves in the Foundations for National Dialogue process representing the AKF. Moeketsi previously held a Project Assistant role responsible for Training and Development at the Development and Leadership Unit (DLU) in the Centre for Student Development (CSD) at Wits University. Moeketsi holds a Masters in Sociology (2022) from Wits University. His thesis dissertation explored “How is Masculinity Performed among Male University Students in an All-Male Residence at Wits.” Moeketsi also holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Sociology (2018), and a Bachelor of Arts degree (2017) having majored in Psychology and Sociology, from the same university.
As a Pracademic Moeketsi researches, and writes at the intersection of gender, violence, and masculinity studies and critically theorizes about oversight and accountability in local government municipalities. This work is driven by key pillars of inclusion, anti corruption behavior initiatives and social transformation. Moeketsi was selected as one of the South African participants of the 2022 South Africa-Brazil Youth Forum hosted by South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA). He is an African Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC) with the African Union, and Alumni of the Democracy Works Academy (DWA) a youth leadership, civic education and dialogue programme to inspire, empower and connect a new generation of South African change makers
Hannah Hopper
Hannah Hopper has been the Chair of South African Youth for International Diplomacy (SAYID) since 2021. SAYID is the official organising committee for South Africa’s Y20 and Y7 Summits and has been involved in the Y20 process since 2010. SAYID works to place young people at the forefront of global policy development, ensuring they actively contribute to decisions that shape their future.
Hannah holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development and has represented South Africa in several global youth forums. She was a Young Ambassadors Society Delegate at the United Nations 69th Commission on the Status of Women 2025, Head Delegate at the Y7 Summit 2022, Guest Panellist at the Women7 Summit 2022, Sustainability, Climate, and Energy Delegate at the Y20 Summit 2021, and Reframing Economics Moderator at the Club of Rome Youth Summit 2020. Additionally, she served on the Agenda Committee for the World Youth Development Forum between 2023 and 2024. Hannah is dedicated to amplifying the voices of young South Africans in international diplomacy, with a strong focus on inclusion and representation.
Levi Singh works with the SRHR Africa Trust as regional youth and policy officer. As former secretary general of the African youth and adolescent network on population and development (AfriYAN), he now serves as a mentor to the current executive committee of the network. Levi works extensively on systems for the meaningful engagement, participation, and leadership of young people in global health policy making using data to influence policy dialogue through civic diplomacy.
Levi has served on the South African government delegation to the UN Commission on population and development over several sessions, as well as adviser to other UN multilateral processes (Summit of the Future, High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, SDG Summit). Levi’s professional work and political advocacy experience include negotiating critical youth facing elements of the African Union Agenda 2063, UN Sustainable development goals (Agenda 2030), AU African health strategy, ICPD Program of Action reviews and Universal health coverage high level political declaration with a focus on adolescent & youth health and well-being.
Levi serves as a founding member of the United Nations global partnership forum on comprehensive sexuality education and as a SADC regional youth parliamentarian to the 3rd SADC youth parliamentary forum. Levi is an MBA candidate at the University of Cumbria in the executive program in international relations and diplomacy and has recently been appointed to co-lead the Presidential Thematic Working Group on Adolescence under the Office of the President of the Republic of South Africa.
Brittany Kaye is a business strategist, entrepreneur, and advocate for youth employment and economic inclusion. Holding a BCom (Law) degree, she has built a career at the intersection of business development, technology, and social impact.
She leads employability workshops in high-crime areas, equipping young people with career skills, and supports underserved entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses. As the founder of VOCO, a technology startup connecting youth with career guidance, skills training, and employment opportunities, Brittany is dedicated to empowering the next generation. Previously, she founded a global marketing and revenue consulting firm, helping businesses scale across 12 countries. Brittany has spoken internationally on entrepreneurship and employment and serves as the Director of Stakeholder Relations for the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA). She has been recognized as a Global Changemaker and Rising Star STEM finalist, highlighting her commitment to innovation and social impact.
Passionate about creating pathways for youth, Brittany’s work goes beyond immediate solutions—she is dedicated to long-term empowerment, sustainable change, and championing future leaders.
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The South African Y20 Summit will present the communique on youth priorities, providing G20 leaders with direct insights into the aspirations, concerns, and recommendations of the continent’s youth.
