The campaign was introduced during CRET’s Class of 2025 graduate recognition event in Sandton, where CRET Patron President Cyril Ramaphosa joined graduates, alumni, donors and partners to honour 14 graduates and underline the importance of practical support that helps young people move from qualification into employment.
Drive to Thrive comes at a time when South Africa’s official unemployment rate stands at 33.6%, according to the Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2026. While unemployment is driven by complex structural factors, CRET’s experience shows that practical barriers can also keep qualified young people from accessing available opportunities.
In fields such as engineering, healthcare, logistics, sales, field services and community development, a valid driver’s licence is often a requirement for entry-level employment, site-based work or professional mobility.
For graduates from low-income households, the cost of learner’s licence preparation, driver training, booking fees, transport, vehicle access and retesting can place a licence beyond reach. A young person may have the qualification, commitment and readiness for a job, yet still be excluded because they cannot meet this practical requirement.
Since 2020, CRET has treated driver training as an employability intervention, supporting 97 young people through driver-training initiatives.
Through its implementation partnership with Drivio, CRET will use Drive to Thrive to provide structured learner’s licence and driver-training support at preferential institutional rates. The campaign will:
CRET is also developing a partnership with Motion One to strengthen post-licence readiness and explore mobility as an occupational enabler in sectors where independent and responsible driving is essential.
“A qualification should open doors. It should not leave a graduate stranded outside the workplace because they cannot legally get there,” said Chantelle Oosthuizen, executive director of CRET. “Drive to Thrive is about removing that final, practical barrier. To thrive, you need drive.”
CRET aims to raise R500,000 through Drive to Thrive, with support from donors, sponsors and campaign partners. The campaign includes an online auction featuring an exclusive weekend at Zoetendal Vineyards’ Manor House for six couples, donated by Zoetendal. The auction runs until October and can be accessed via www.cret.online.
The campaign also builds on CRET’s tradition of alumni giving back. The CRET Alumni Advisory Board, established in 2017, has funded the studies of four students through alumni contributions.
Since its inception, CRET has supported 830 young people across South Africa, including 436 tertiary students. Of these, 275 have graduated, while 394 young people have participated in skills-development programmes.
CRET’s integrated youth development model recognises that academic funding alone is not always enough. Its support includes psychosocial care, mentorship, work readiness, technology access, career development and practical health assistance, including 99 eye tests and 75 pairs of spectacles issued to date.
Drive to Thrive is endorsed by Charmont Global Media, Focus on Transport and SHEq Management. Companies and individuals are invited to support driver training, invest in related youth-development initiatives, provide workplace opportunities, or connect CRET with organisations committed to youth employment and responsible mobility.
Qualifying donations may be eligible for a Section 18A tax certificate and may support relevant B-BBEE objectives, subject to the nature of the contribution and applicable verification requirements.
“For more than 25 years, CRET has helped young people move from potential to qualification,” Oosthuizen said. “Siyaqhubeka speaks to that journey: we keep moving forward. Through Drive to Thrive, we are extending that commitment by addressing a practical barrier that can determine whether a young person is able to take up a job opportunity.”
