As the only African country in the G20, South Africa’s presidency of the 2025 summit is both a diplomatic honour and a historic responsibility.
With engagement groups now formed and dialogues under way, this is our chance to lead the conversation for developing nations, particularly those on the African continent. The measure of success, though, will not be in the grand speeches and flamboyant events but in the outcomes delivered, especially those that positively affect small businesses and unemployed youth.
The G20 was born out of the Asian financial crisis of 1997 as a collective response to global instability. What began as a macroeconomic forum has evolved into a space where the world’s largest economies negotiate the policies shaping trade, finance and development. Yet despite bold commitments made over the years on things like trade, labour, investment and sustainability, the real impact of these policies often remains unclear. Implementation lags, accountability fades, and developing nations, more often than not, are left wondering where the return is.
South Africa is known for progressive thinking and strong frameworks, but our Achilles heel remains execution. With billions being spent to host the G20 summit, the pressure is on to ensure a real return on investment, not just for the government but for ordinary South Africans. We cannot afford another cycle of discussion without delivery.
As a participant in one of the G20 task groups, I’ve heard first-hand the frustrations of South African entrepreneurs, and chief among them is access to finance. Policy reform in this area, alongside labour market regulations, market access and competition, must become a core priority. These are not just entrepreneurial issues but economic survival issues. Without real change we risk yet another summit that fails to shift the dial.
G20 member states represent two-thirds of the world’s population, 85% of global GDP, and more than 75% of global trade. With this scale comes power and greater responsibility. South Africa must use this moment to push for a measurable agenda, especially if the G20 is serious about inclusive development. This summit must enable South Africa to not only voice its needs but champion those of the broader Sadc region and Africa at large.
Right now our national unemployment rate stands at 32.9%. For young people it’s an alarming 46.1%. If small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy, then surely unlocking their potential is key to putting youth to work. Yet the meaningful opportunities for young South Africans to turn their skills into enterprise and their enterprise into livelihoods are still lacking.
Even Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie recently echoed my sentiments on the importance of the informal economy in doing more than we realise or give it credit for. It’s time our policymakers acknowledged this by formally integrating its contributions into national economic metrics and development strategies.
We must act boldly and ambitiously to remove structural barriers to inclusive economic participation
Too often SMEs are praised in theory and overlooked in practice. At every roundtable they are hailed as drivers of growth and the silver bullet in solving unemployment, yea barriers to finance, market entry and support are still holding them back. A true test of the 2025 summit’s success would be how quickly we move from policy ideation to implementation, and with what pace and urgency. South Africa cannot wait another decade for incremental change.
The G20 is a rare and powerful platform, and our presidency is more than just influence and global attention. It is about solid leadership, taking bold steps, and seeing through tangible results. We must shape global economic priorities through the lens of developing nations, and this means lobbying for SME inclusion, removing economic barriers for women, and ensuring young people have a meaningful seat at the table. This Youth Month serves as a powerful reminder that a country that ignores its youth will not grow.
We’ve seen what co-ordinated political will can do. In response to South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force, our financial institutions moved swiftly to address illicit transactions, money laundering and corruption.
That same level of urgency is needed now, not just to appease global watchdogs but to serve our citizens. We must act boldly and ambitiously to remove structural barriers to inclusive economic participation. Because a win for South Africa is a win for the continent — and when Africa wins, the world takes note.
• Mtwentwe is MD of Vantage Advisory and host of the Saica Biz Impact podcast
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