SA ROSE DESPITE THE ODDS IN 2025 

As the year draws to a close, there is a plethora of reflections to draw upon considering the year that has been – 2025. We often dwell on the masses of challenges that plague our society, but what’s most remarkable is our resolve to continuously improve and adapt, despite these.

Contextually, South Africa contends with many debilitating challenges that profoundly affect the lived realities of everyday citizens. From poverty, to poor infrastructure, to unemployment, to the entrenchment of AI, our society is always seemingly dealing with far more than it can keep up with. These challenges are not abstract; they are deeply intersectional, with women, girls, LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, and rural populations disproportionately bearing the brunt of inequality, violence, and systemic neglect.

Yet, this year has also brought milestones worth celebrating. South Africa hosted the G20, the very first time an African nation did so, enhancing our moment of global recognition. Women across the country succeeded in declaring GBVF a National Disaster, asserting the power of activism and collective voice. SA’s Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a unifying moment of pride.

These achievements are not merely symbolic; they speak to economic, cultural, political, and institutional progress, showing what is possible when vision, accountability, and collaboration converge. Importantly, these victories reflect the tireless work of women, men and grassroots movements who fight daily to ensure that progress includes those historically excluded from decision-making spaces. In communities across the country, youth initiatives—from local literacy programs to community safety patrols—have transformed lives, showing that change often begins at the ground level.

At the same time, progress remains uneven and incomplete. Our society continues to grapple with deep inequalities, systemic failures, and service delivery gaps that affect education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure. The climate crisis and environmental pressures increasingly affect vulnerable communities, highlighting the urgency of linking social justice with sustainable development. These realities remind us that hope and resilience must be paired with intentional action. Gender justice is central here: without addressing the intersection of poverty, violence, and access to resources, progress will remain partial and exclusionary. Ongoing gender-based violence, femicide, and threats to women’s safety remain urgent issues in our society that demand systemic accountability.

What stands out most is our collective ability to hold two truths at once: that the country remains burdened by structural inequities, yet still capable of producing moments of unity, pride, and global relevance. Progress is not linear; it is born out of struggle, sustained by persistence, and carried forward by ordinary people who refuse to surrender to despair. South Africa’s story in 2025 is not one of perfection, but of resilience — of choosing hope and action even when circumstances repeatedly test our patience and endurance. It is also a story shaped by those whose voices have too often been ignored: females, activists, community leaders, youth, and marginalised groups demanding accountability and systemic, meaningful change.

The year has also foregrounded the critical need to interrogate how technological change, economic reform, and social justice can serve the many, not the few. Too often, innovation is celebrated in isolation, detached from the realities of those it claims to uplift. If technology is to be truly transformative, it must be ethical, accessible, and responsive, supporting education, healthcare, and livelihoods rather than reinforcing inequality under the guise of progress.

Similarly, economic reform cannot remain a theoretical exercise or a policy buzzword. It must translate into tangible improvements in employment, wealth redistribution, and equitable access to essential services. Growth in isolation is insufficient if it continues to exclude the majority. Justice must serve as the lens through which both technology and economic change are implemented — not as optional add-ons, but as central imperatives. 

Furthermore, economic policies must recognise the unpaid labour of women, the disproportionate impact of austerity measures on marginalised communities, and the importance of social protection mechanisms that ensure equity and dignity. Economic empowerment—through access to finance, entrepreneurship, and fair employment, will always remain a critical part of inclusive growth.

In this sense, the question is no longer whether South Africa can change, but for whom that change is designed, and who is left behind. 

Failing to act deliberately allows progress to be hijacked, reinforcing inequities and repeating patterns of exclusion. This demands a values-driven approach to policymaking and governance — one that centres those historically overlooked and ensures that education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and legal protections are integrated into progress. Strengthening institutional accountability and enforcing laws to protect the rights of all people in our society is central to achieving lasting transformation.

Young South Africans play a pivotal role in shaping this future. Their energy, activism, and innovation are essential to reimagining systems that are more equitable and inclusive. Similarly, civil society, NGOs, and community organisations are vital in holding institutions accountable and bridging the gap between policy and lived reality. Real change is neither top-down nor abstract; it is collective, deliberate, and grounded in everyday experience. It is the courage of community leaders, grassroots organisers, and youth activists that often turns aspiration into tangible impact. Furthermore, supporting the mental health and psychosocial resilience of communities facing persistent oppression is equally critical to sustaining long-term social justice work.

Globally, South Africa continues to demonstrate its relevance. Hosting the G20 was not merely ceremonial; it was an opportunity to assert leadership on issues such as equitable technology access, sustainable development, and social justice. Our influence on the world stage is intertwined with our responsibility to ensure that domestic progress is inclusive and accountable. True leadership must be measured by how well it uplifts those historically excluded, particularly women, children, and marginalised groups, ensuring that no one is left behind. Solidarity across social movements, men’s engagement in gender justice, and cross-community collaboration are essential to sustaining systemic change.

As we reflect, the task ahead is clear: progress must be rapid, just, and humane. Achievements cannot exist as fleeting victories; they must become foundations for a society defined by dignity, equity, and shared prosperity. We must measure success not by abstract indicators, but by tangible improvements in education, health, livelihoods, environmental resilience, and the safety and empowerment of everyone equally. 

Ultimately, 2025 should be remembered as a year that reaffirmed our agency. A year that showed that even amid constraint, South Africans continue to shape their destiny with courage and conviction. As we move forward, it is our collective responsibility to carry these lessons — not as symbolic triumphs, but as guiding principles for a more inclusive, just, and dignified society. The challenge is ongoing, but the possibility of transformative change has never been more real.