Parliaments and governments, especially in the developing world, must design laws and job creation policies that respond to the radical technological shifts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This call was made on the second day of the P20 Meeting of Young Parliamentarians in Kleinmond, Western Cape. The meeting, held under the theme “Young Parliamentarians as Drivers of Global Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” brought together youth MPs and government officials from across the world to share ideas and country experiences on youth development.
Leading a discussion on “Creating an enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship and employment,” Mr Saki Zamxaka, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, said employment must be built into the basic economics of the future. “With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence, robotics and mega companies adopting the philosophy of doing more with less, there is the reality of excess labour, especially in the developing world, where people are looking for employment. The question we need to ask ourselves,” he said, “is what we do with the excess labour. We cannot have a world where 10% of the population accounts for 90% of the income. We need to establish policies that are common across the globe. Employment must be incorporated into basic economics,” said Mr Zamxaka. If this is not done, he warned, arbitrage will occur, with companies moving to jurisdictions with fewer compliance requirements, much like what is already happening with taxes.
Mr Zamxaka stressed that the world cannot afford to replace humans with robots and computers, as this would undermine demand. “Tax laws need to be looked at in ways that are very common and promote what we call the common good,” he added.
During discussions, participants shared examples of how their countries had introduced policies and institutions to support youth in starting businesses, developing skills and accessing employment. Speakers also called for global efforts to end ongoing conflicts, warning that wars rob young people of their futures and undermine collective progress. Parliaments were urged to use their oversight roles to ensure youth empowerment programmes are properly implemented and that public resources are used effectively.
The meeting resolved that adopted inputs should be translated into action in the parliaments of participating countries. Young MPs also supported a proposal for their forum to become a permanent feature of the G20.
Sakhile Mokoena
30 September 2025