Every year on 16 June, South Africa observes Youth Day; a reminder not only of the resilience and potential of the country’s young people, but also of the urgent need to create meaningful opportunities for them in the workplace.

South Africa’s youth unemployment, as one of the country’s greatest challenges, is on the mind of Johann le Roux, CEO of KAL Group, the JSE-listed diversified agri, fuel and lifestyle retailer, who says that investing in skills development, mentorship and leadership pathways has become increasingly important for business.

“South Africa’s youth unemployment challenge requires businesses to play a far more active role in developing career pipelines and creating environments where young employees can grow into future leaders,” says le Roux.

For KAL Group, this approach is already bearing fruit across both its agri-retail and fuel businesses, with structured programmes aimed at helping young employees grow from entry-level positions into leadership roles.

Through its subsidiaries Agrimark and PEG Retail Operations, the Group has invested significantly in training, bursaries and leadership development initiatives designed to create long-term career opportunities for employees.

“Our training and development strategy is centred on accredited and quality-assured learning programmes that align with both business needs and employee career aspirations,” explains le Roux.

These initiatives include bursaries, management development programmes, senior management development programmes, and NQF Level 5 learnerships aimed at futureproofing employees with the skills needed for the evolving agriculture and retail sectors.

Since 2022, Agrimark and PEG have collectively invested more than R7.2 million into these initiatives, enabling 284 learners to obtain recognised qualifications. The investment forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen leadership pipelines, build critical skills and enhance organisational capability across the business.

“The impact of this strategy is evident in the company’s ability to develop and promote talent from within,” says le Roux.

Since 2022, 266 management and specialist-level vacancies were filled, with 45% of candidates sourced internally – highlighting the company’s growing focus on succession planning and internal career development.

“We have also introduced targeted programmes over the past three years to strengthen our future leadership bench, including a Graduate Development Programme and a High-Potential Junior Branch Manager Programme aimed at operations talent,” says le Roux.

Across operations, supply chain and shared services, the programmes have supported graduates, apprenticeships and high-potential employees in gaining practical experience and leadership exposure.

“Structured development opportunities can have a real impact on people’s lives and careers. When young employees can see a clear pathway for growth within a business, it not only builds confidence and ambition, but also helps create a stronger, more robust organisation for the future,” says le Roux.

For PEG Retail Operations, the impact of these opportunities can already be seen through employees who have progressed through the business over time.

One such example is Thandi Sibiya, whose journey in the retail fuel industry began in 2007 as a deli assistant at a BP service station in Bedfordview. She later progressed through various roles, including merchandiser, cashier, and management assistant. This experience set her up to land a position at PEG Retail Operations in 2018, where she continued to grow within the business through additional learning opportunities supported by the company. In 2023, she was awarded a bursary to pursue a BCom in Business Management through UNISA and was later nominated for the Retail Management Development Programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), where she earned an Advanced Diploma in Management earlier this year.

Her professional growth coincided with her promotion to Operations Controller in September 2025.

“My career journey is a testament to the power of continuous learning and the support of the business,” says Sibiya. “The company has been a pivotal partner in my development, investing in my potential and enabling me to continue growing both professionally and academically.”

At Agrimark, the story of Cleo Solomon, Senior Manager in Procurement at Agrimark’s Supply Chain Division in Paarl follows a similar trajectory.   He began his journey with Agrimark in 2022 as a graduate intern. During his 18-month internship, thanks to his commitment, curiosity and strong willingness to learn, he was appointed as a Category Planner in 2023.

“Cleo was placed on a focused development programme and soon after stepped into the role of Senior Procurement Manager,” says le Roux.

For employees like Sibiya and Solomon, opportunity did not arrive overnight, it was built over time through access to learning, mentorship and the chance to prove themselves.