The nine challenges are: Too few South Africans work; education for poor blacks is substandard; infrastructure limits growth; a resource intensive development path is unsustainable; the health system is dealing with a huge disease burden; public service performance is uneven; corruption undermines the state and its services; and South Africa remains a divided society.

The Jam will take place from September 28 until October 1.

Manuel said the challenges needed to be raised and addressed. The key issue was that for black South Africans the country's education outcomes were poor.

The NPC wanted the youth to talk about the problems facing South Africa and to give suggestions on how to combat them. "Talk to us about our observations and tell us how to change these things. As a society what are the things we want to change?", Manuel asked.

Life was changing, said Manuel. "A picture of life is a picture of the present. Pause and think what you were doing 20 years ago. The world existed without Facebook and Twitter. Life has changed."

Manuel, the National Youth Development Agency, the university, and radio personalities were encouraging young South Africans to participate in the NPC Jam.