The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is occupying a building that has been declared unsafe in two risk assessments, and its employees have now written to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to intervene.
Last Saturday, the NYDA’s staff, acting as whistleblowers, wrote to Ramaphosa raising concerns about governance failures in the agency’s leadership and a host of other issues.
Complaints range from the dilapidated state of the head office in Sunninghill, Johannesburg — which has broken kitchen furnishings and missing ceiling panels — to staff having to bring their own toilet paper to work. Despite the dire state of affairs, the NYDA’s leadership continues globetrotting at taxpayers’ expense.
“The building currently occupied by the NYDA [has] deteriorated and [is] in some areas uninhabitable, but no action is taken because [a] cartel is collecting kickbacks and the current board has been instructed not to touch the lease. Our safety is compromised. These conditions raise serious questions about financial priorities and governance within the institution,” the letter to the presidency says.
The seven-year lease, signed in May 2024, will ultimately cost the NYDA more than R4.4m for office space, R1.7m for basement parking, and R97,357 in air-conditioning fees for a cooling system that does not work.
These figures are an accumulation of annual rental prices and include a projected 7% yearly increase built into the agreement.
The R6.2m contract is staggered over the seven-year term, with the NYDA paying R716,658.64 for office space, parking facilities and air-conditioning for the initial 12-month lease period running from September 2024 to August 2025. This amount is expected to skyrocket to more than R1m in the final lease period, set to run from September 2030 to August 2031.
A Sunday Times probe uncovered a building condition and risk assessment report carried out by Kuvaneti Consultants in September 2025. The document lists a plethora of structural challenges, from unlockable doors, an old CCTV system and urinals in urgent need of repair to broken kitchen furnishings and missing ceiling panels.
On fire safety, the report reveals the “building is not compliant in terms of sufficient escape routes” and recommends smoke-control compliance be rectified urgently.
The report details findings on:
- the building’s reinforced concrete and structural steel elements;
- masonry walls;
- plumbing, water supply, and electrical and mechanical systems;
- heating, ventilation and air conditioning installations; and
- compliance with fire safety regulations.
A second report tabled at a board meeting in December 2025 ordered that the building be evacuated so that renovations could get under way. However, this process has not been carried out, according to sources.
A recent auditor-general audit report flagged R71m in irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure by the NYDA for the 2024/25 financial year.
Aggrieved employees have pointed fingers at the new board, which assumed control of the agency in August 2025, saying it has failed to take steps to stop the rot.
“The current board has been in office for seven months. That’s more than half a financial year, and that’s one-sixth of their term. The excuse [they have made] that they inherited these [problems] from the previous board does not hold. Some of these [issues] have in fact been sustained by them. They jumped in and continued with [squandering resources] while saying they are new,” the complaint reads.
We cannot turn a blind eye to everything that has been flagged. We need to act with urgency, because there are serious allegations and serious issues coming out of the institution
— Insider
Executive board chair Dr Sunshine Myende did not escape criticism, with whistleblowers accusing her of interference and intimidation.
“Staff members were made to fast-track approvals of grant beneficiaries personally picked by the chairperson. These young people [were allowed to jump the queue and get ahead of] thousands of young people who had been waiting to get assistance. The chairperson has become a law unto herself in the institution through intimidation and threats to fire officials. She also threatens staff and executive directors, including the CEO, [telling] them they will lose their jobs.”
A senior ministerial insider said it was regrettable that the NYDA found itself under this dark cloud.
“There are a number of issues. The NYDA just [received] a report-back [from] the parliamentary portfolio committee on women, youth and persons with disabilities about the state of the entity. The AG had flagged concerns, and the feedback from the members of parliament was that [there was] grave criticism [of] the irregular expenditure and [apparent] wastage [of funds] on non-impactful events.”
The insider said it was unfortunate that staffers could not rely on using the institution’s internal complaint processes or escalating matters to the ministry, and instead had to turn to the highest office in the land to seek relief.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to everything that has been flagged. We need to act with urgency, because there are serious allegations and serious issues coming out of the institution. This matter is addressed to the president. Any instability and challenges of this nature will prevent us from delivering a capable state and developmental agenda.”
Deputy minister in the presidency for women, youth and people with disabilities Steve Letsike told the Sunday Times that they could not act without the concurrence of the minister, Sindi Chikunga.
“One cannot act without concurrence from the minister. I requested that there be a meeting with the minister and chair urgently, so we can get a report and look at the issues raised.
“They are unfortunately both travelling in New York, so we will have to wait until they are back.”
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