By Sitha Maliwa:
In a province where platinum shafts dominate both the skyline and the economy, a new movement is rising – one determined to prove that the future of Rustenburg’s youth stretches far beyond the mine gates.
On 24 February 2026, the Rustenburg Civic Centre will host the Rustenburg Career Expo 2026, a large-scale intervention expected to welcome more than 4,500 Grade 12 learners from Rustenburg and neighbouring towns. At a time when youth unemployment in the North West hovers around 58 – 60%, organisers insist this is not just another career day. It is a deliberate, solution-driven disruption.
Organised by the Rustenburg Community Development Trust (RCDT) in partnership with Valterra Platinum and the Department of Education, the expo carries the bold theme “Unleashing young talent to better our communities.” The initiative confronts a difficult reality: while mining remains central to the regional economy, over-reliance on a single industry leaves thousands of young people vulnerable in a rapidly changing labour market.
“Rustenburg’s young people are not just statistics in a high-unemployment province – they are the key to sustainable community resilience,” said Katleho Thinane, Head of Projects at RCDT. “This expo is engineered to shatter narrow horizons. By connecting learners directly with universities, TVET colleges, SETAs, national corporates, financial funders and skills experts, we are igniting innovative, solution-oriented thinking that tackles real local challenges – from food production to digital connectivity and healthcare access.”
Unlike conventional expos where learners collect pamphlets and move on, this event is designed as an immersive ecosystem of opportunity. More than 30 exhibitors – including leading universities, TVET colleges, SETAs and national corporates – will engage learners directly on study pathways, apprenticeships, bursaries and employment prospects. Institutions such as the University of Pretoria, University of Johannesburg, Tshwane University of Technology, North-West University and UNISA’s Rustenburg Regional Centre will be present alongside ORBIT TVET College and Taletso TVET College. Sector authorities, including MERSETA, AGRISETA, FOODBEV SETA, BANKSETA, MICT SETA, TETA and CETA, will provide industry-specific insights, while companies such as FNB Rustenburg, Nestlé Professional, Empact Group – Food Division, Bidvest Food & Logistics, Armscor, Directech (Pty) Ltd, PNet Recruitment, LinkedIn (virtual), Vega and the Institute of Culinary Arts will showcase practical career possibilities.
Interactive demonstration zones will allow learners to cook, code, build and experiment in real time, turning abstract career titles into tangible experiences. Funding bodies and advisory services will guide learners through NSFAS applications, bursary processes and first-step decisions at a moment when matric results and post-school transitions create immense pressure for many families.
For Valterra Platinum, the partnership reflects a broader commitment to community sustainability beyond mining. “As a leading platinum producer deeply rooted in the Rustenburg community, Valterra Platinum is proud to support the Rustenburg Career Expo,” said Ms Thokozile Sehlangu, Manager External Relations and Sustainability Impact at Valterra Platinum. “Our purpose is clear – ‘Unearthing value to better our world’ – and that begins with investing in the next generation. This initiative is more than an event; it’s a powerful investment in diversifying opportunities for our youth, moving beyond mining dependency toward innovative, sustainable careers that will strengthen families, drive economic resilience, and build a brighter future for the entire region.”
With socioeconomic pressures mounting in mine-adjacent communities and graduates often queuing for limited opportunities, the expo represents a strategic collaboration between education, government and private sector partners determined to widen Rustenburg’s economic imagination. It seeks not merely to inform learners, but to reframe what success can look like in a mining town.
In a region historically defined by extraction, the Rustenburg Career Expo 2026 aims to be remembered for something different – construction. The construction of skills pipelines. The construction of diversified opportunities. And, perhaps most importantly, the construction of a belief that Rustenburg’s youth can build thriving futures above ground. – @NewsSA_Online
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