Young designer from Ratanda wins Archdiocese of Johannesburg youth logo competition
The new Archdiocese of Johannesburg’s Youth Office Logo. Inset: Designer Keletso Makgale and his mother
By Kati Dijane – The Archdiocese of Johannesburg Youth Office has unveiled a fresh new logo following a creative competition that invited young people across the archdiocese to submit their designs. The winning logo was designed by Keletso Makgale, a young Catholic from Seven Holy Founders Parish in Ratanda in the Far East Rand Deanery.
The announcement was made on the morning of 9 March 2026, after the competition officially closed on 28 February 2026. The initiative was spearheaded by the newly appointed Head of Department (HOD) of the Youth Office in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, Tiiso Mosoeu, who wanted to introduce a refreshed identity for the youth ministry.
The new logo will officially replace the previous youth logo used within the archdiocese and will be featured prominently on T-shirts worn by Johannesburg pilgrims attending the Fourth Annual Blessed Benedict Daswa Youth and Young Adults’ Pilgrimage, which will take place from 21–22 March 2026 at the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg.
A call for creativity among young people
According to Mosoeu, the competition was designed to give young Catholics an opportunity to contribute creatively to the life of the Church.
Mosoeu explained the vision behind the initiative.
“We did a competition a few weeks ago in which we asked young people to show us their creative juices by giving our new logo a facelift,” he said.
After reviewing the entries submitted by young people across the archdiocese, one design stood out.
“We have selected a logo that will be used. As you all know, we are phasing out the old logo in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg and bringing in something new and fresh.”
Inspired by faith and service
Makgale is an active young leader in the Church. He currently serves as a liturgy officer in the Far East Rand Deanery youth executive, a role he says allows him to deepen his commitment to the faith.
Introducing himself, he spoke about the inspiration behind his strong connection to the Church.
“What inspired me to be this faithful is my patron saint, Saint Carlo Acutis,” Makgale said. “He’s the one that made me be this faithful to the Church and to be the way I am.”
Although design is not his main field, he embraced the challenge wholeheartedly.
“I’m not usually much of a designer, but I can do what is expected of me and I do it to my fullest potential,” he explained.
Makgale spent about four weeks conceptualising and developing the design that would eventually become the new symbol of youth ministry in the archdiocese.
The meaning behind the logo
The logo carries deep symbolic meaning rooted in both the identity of Johannesburg and the centrality of Christ in the life of the Church.
Explaining his design, Makgale said the concept was inspired by Johannesburg’s well-known identity as the “City of Gold.”
“Starting from the bottom, as you can see, Johannesburg is in gold, which represents Johannesburg as the city of gold,” he said.
At the centre of the logo is Christ, reflecting the spiritual foundation of the archdiocese and the youth ministry.
“Christ is in the centre of the logo, and it represents us being faithful to Christ, who is at the centre of all beings,” he explained.
Above the central image is a halo symbolising Christ’s holiness, while a crown sits above it to represent Christ the King, a significant reference to the Cathedral of Christ the King, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
The logo ultimately reflects the motto that guides the youth ministry: “For God and for youth, through Christ.”
A reward and a pilgrimage
As the winner of the competition, Makgale will attend the fourth annual Blessed Benedict Daswa Youth and Young Adults’ Pilgrimage for free. The annual pilgrimage, held at the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg, gathers young Catholics from across the conference to celebrate faith, fellowship and the legacy of Blessed Benedict Daswa, South Africa’s first beatified martyr.
For Makgale, the opportunity holds special meaning.
“It will be my first time attending the pilgrimage,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to attend for some time, but travelling to Limpopo for the pilgrimage was expensive for me.”
This year’s opportunity, therefore, comes as a blessing, allowing him not only to attend but also to see his design worn proudly by fellow pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Encouraging young people to take courage
Reflecting on his achievement, Makgale expressed gratitude to the youth office for creating opportunities for young people to share their gifts in the Church.
“I would like to thank the youth department for the opportunity they have given me,” he said.
He also shared a message of encouragement to other young people.
“My word of encouragement is that young people should take courage and take over the world. They should have faith and know that in everything they do, if they do it in the Church, it is for the goodness of Christ.”
