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Draft:Ravindra Naidoo

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Ravindra "Ravi" Naidoo is a South African social-impact leader who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Service (YES)[1], a major private-sector–funded initiative that addresses youth unemployment in South Africa.[2] According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, YES is the largest corporate-funded job programme in the world[3] with over 125 000 participants (2023), many of whom get employed in the private sector, once they finish their internship. [4]

Early life

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Naidoo is the youngest child of M.J. Naidoo and Sanna Naidoo from Durban. The broader family had a strong commitment to social justice. His aunt (Phyllis Naidoo) and uncle (M. D. Naidoo)[5] were active members in South African Communist Party. Both his uncle and father actively participated in the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) and paid a high price for their convictions. His mom, Sanna Naidoo is a protest artist [6] poet and founder member of the Natal Organisation of Women (NOW). Naidoo and his siblings (Kamilla, Melanie and Jay) were raised in a "politically conscious" home and as a family, they witnessed the immediate consequences (banning, prison and detention) associated with opposing injustice and living in a complex community.

Career history

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Naidoo attended the University of Natal where he studied economics. This was followed by a masters in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School[7] from where his development finance experience emerged.[8]

Naidoo's has a history of researching, designing and implementing public‑sector, and development initiatives.[9] His first job was as a junior researcher at the Labour Research Service.[10] He lead trade‑union aligned think tank NALEDI,[11] convened and chaired the economic cluster work stream,[12] contributed towards South Africa's Green Fund, managed the health roadmap to make healthcare sustainable, and acted as Group Executive: Development Bank of Southern Africa .[13] Naidoo has occupied executive roles in economic development at the City of Johannesburg. Much like his father, Naidoo is a man of principle, concerned with the management of resources and the capacity of all (the state, the unions and business) to deliver a new deal.[14]

Youth Employment Service (YES)

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Currently, Naidoo occupies the role of CEO of Youth Employment Service (YES), a high-impact, business‑led response to South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.[15] Unlike many others in leadership, Naidoo acknowledges that there is a crisis and is looking for mechanisms to draw the various constituencies together and address the issues. YES works with interns who are drawn from disadvantaged backgrounds. Graduate students are placed in corporate environments[16] and they complete a 12‑month quality work placement.[17]. In conjunction with the South African government, YES programme offers a "business-led" approach to social challenges.[18] YES has enabled skilled young professionals and entrepreneurs, particularly in growth sectors, to find employment.[19][20] Naidoo's emphasis is that youth unemployment is more than a social problem, but is an existential economic risk for South Africa, as a country. He advocates for private‑sector‑led solutions that also deliver training, networks, and prospects beyond the placement year.

Nation Planning Commission

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In 2022, Naidoo was appointed to serve on South Africa’s National Planning Commission,[21] and he chairs the Economy Workstream, shaping long‑term national development policy.[22] Naidoo plans to advance growth and development in South Africa and beyond through a "New Deal". [23]

Recognition

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While Naidoo's work is not widely publicized in academia, his current leadership in YES and in other previous impact initiatives have earned him recognition and respect within government and development circles.

  1. ^ "The YES programme - a youth job creation hero of note by Gideon Gerber". serr.co.za. 2025-08-01. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  2. ^ "Youth Emplyment Service Annual Report (2024)" (PDF). 2024.
  3. ^ "President Cyril Ramaphosa: The Presidency Dept Budget Vote 2025/26 | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  4. ^ Welsch, Chris. "A job-creation program brings new AI skills to thousands of young South Africans". Source EMEA. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  5. ^ "Phyllis Naidoo | South African History Online". sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  6. ^ https://sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive-files3/SpApr88.pdf
  7. ^ "Ravi Naidoo - African Leadership Programme South Africa". Africa Leadership Initiative. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  8. ^ "Winter 2017". www.hks.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  9. ^ Naidoo, R. (1995). Labour broking: the smoke and mirrors industry. South African Labour Bulletin, 19, 42-47.
  10. ^ "BACKSTORY: Ravi Naidoo". BusinessLIVE. Archived from the original on 2025-05-24. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  11. ^ Naidoo, Ravi., Jardine, Conrad., Satgar, Viswash & Hassen, E. (1999). A political paradox?: worker expectations of South Africa's democracy?. Indicator South Africa, 16(3), 21-25.
  12. ^ "Three-Sphere Planning Session - Parliament of South Africa". www.parliament.gov.za. Archived from the original on 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  13. ^ "Human Settlements Beneficiary Occupancy Audit & Sanitation Projects: Departmental briefing; Development Bank of Southern Africa's assistance in capacity building | PMG". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  14. ^ Naidoo, Ravi (2020-05-08). "The calculus of risk has shifted to the economy – what is to be done?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  15. ^ "Meet our Leadership Team". www.yes4youth.co.za. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  16. ^ https://careers.unilever.com/job/south-africa/yes-programme-12-month-internship/34155/85287558224
  17. ^ "Celebrating World NGO Day | Youth Employment Service". blog.yes4youth.co.za. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  18. ^ "Yes Program - NMI". nmi.co.za. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  19. ^ "Microsoft AI Skilling Day powers SA's digital future". Source EMEA. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  20. ^ MINTEK. "MINTEK@90 Conference: Spotlighting Global Leaders and Innovative Research in Minerals and Metallurgy". MINTEK. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  21. ^ "Presidency welcomes appointed members of third National Planning Commission | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  22. ^ https://www.nationalplanningcommission.org.za/CommissionProfiles/Commissioner15
  23. ^ Naidoo, Ravi (2020-04-28). "The pandemic's economic devastation has created a rare opportunity for a New Deal in South Africa". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
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