By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) leadership, led by Chairperson Dr. Sunshine Myende, appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in a joint parliamentary meeting.
They were grilled over governance failures, the funding of personal litigation against journalists, and whistleblower targeting.
Myende has gagged a Sunday Times reporter, with an interim court order.
The order, served on the journalist on June 10, prohibited her from engaging with Myende in any manner, threatening or intimidating her, or publishing anything against her.
It emerged that the Myende has been using NYDA lawyers to fight her personal battles.
“Yes, chair, it is in my personal capacity, but the matter would have been related to my responsibility as the chair of the NYDA,” said Myende.
This same law firm does work for the NYDA and appears in the panel of service providers for the agency.
It also emerged that the NYDA board never passed a resolution of its lawyers to go represent Myende in her personal fight with the journalist.
The briefing descended into what lawmakers described as “blood on the floor,” exposing massive internal factions and severe governance failures within the state youth agency.
The NYDA faces severe criticism for failing to curb South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.
The latest Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force report revealed that unemployment stood at 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026.
Over the years, government has introduced a range of interventions aimed at empowering young people and creating pathways into the economy.
Programmes such as the Presidential Employment Stimulus, the Youth Employment Service, skills development initiatives, public employment programmes and support for entrepreneurship are part of broader efforts to ensure that young South Africans are not left behind.