SA’s future rests on a well-skilled, developed youth motivated by history
THIS year has been declared the year of Oliver Reginald Tambo in South Africa. Yet less known is that this year we also commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the SS Mendi in the English Channel. It is reported that more than 600 young men, who formed part of the South African Native Labour Corps, perished in the Great War, the First World War.
It is therefore appropriate that we remember these young men, as we commence Youth Month. Those who gave their lives for freedom and who fought gallantly against the best armies of the world.
The words of the Reverend Isaac Wauchope Dyobha, who also died in the sinking of the Mendi, remind us that young South Africans continue to have a role to play in fighting for freedom.
Dyobha said: “We are the sons of Africa. Raise your war-cries, brothers, for though they made us leave our assegaais in the kraal, our voices are left with our bodies.”
Yet the year also marks the 70th anniversary of the first solo performance by Mariam Makeba, at the tender age of 15. Some 60 years ago this year, she would appear in her first film, Come Back Africa.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Ashley Kriel. A combatant of uMkhonto weSizwe, Kriel, aged 20, died at the hands of security police.
A leader and hero on the Cape Flats, Kriel is revered as an activist, who was willing to tackle the challenges of his community.
Young people in South Africa can be proud of their heroes and heroines.
AP Mda, Caesarina Kona Mkhoere, Anton Lembede, Bertha Mashaba and Solomon Mahlangu.
These people remained committed, as young people, to ensure a better life for the people of South Africa.
The situation of young people in our country today remains however a challenge. According to Stats SA, 66% of those regarded as unemployed, in the economically active group, are young people between the ages of 18 and 35.
Low skills and lack of opportunities often lead to errant behaviour such as crime.
Young people continue to bear the brunt of substance abuse such as drugs and alcohol and violence and irresponsible behaviour that often accompany substance abuse.
The National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (Nicro) released a report in 2015 confirming the plausible link between substance abuse and crime. The report is resolute in stating that serious and chronic offenders, who start off as juveniles, are more likely to be substance abusers than, say, once off juvenile offenders.
The report goes on to indicate that substance abuse is often linked to parole violations and recidivism. The results of the research, by Nicro, show that between 27% to 47% of intentional injuries perpetrated were directly related to alcohol use.
Emphasis is however placed on both the relation between long term substance abuse, whether drugs and/or alcohol and crime as well as whether the person was under the influence when the crime was committed. It is an important distinction to make yet the links between substance abuse and crime remain strong.
Yet the sad story of Karabo Mokoena tells a tale of two young people who were economically secure or at least had access to opportunities. This however did not eliminate the possibilities of substance abuse and the domestic violence that accompanied such success. Again, the possibility of the abuse of substances cannot be ruled out in this instance either. Economic freedom was not the only answer for Karabo.
Norwegian governmental agencies, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme, among other non-governmental organisations, were therefore innovative to host a conference in May 2015 on the theme of trying to integrate the approaches to national policies dealing with substance abuse, gender-based violence and the spread of HIV.
Often these policies are articulated and crafted in isolation of each other. But following on from the conference held in Windhoek, national policies had to take a broader approach in dealing with these challenges.
The focus on youth development though continues to take centre stage in the administration of President Zuma. Launching Youth Month, President Zuma met the Presidential Youth Working Group.
Primarily, the group brings together the government, the committee of deputy ministers, and those organisations working in the youth sector to influence policy and implement programmes.
Already the Working Group has been able to report on some successful ventures including the War on Leaks programme which equips tens of thousands of young people as water agents, electricians, plumbers among other artisan orientated skills development. Of these, the Presidency reports, 55% are women.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) envisages ensuring that nearly 800 new enterprises emerge and more than 18000 young entrepreneurs will receive the necessary support.
Some 8 000 young people are cited to take up opportunities in real estate while 19000 young people are participating in the National Rural Youth Service Corps.
The interventions made in regard to higher education and access to tertiary education, especially young people, are also numerous with the government dedicating a large budget to fund higher education, and the setting up of the Commission of Inquiry into university fees.
Agenda 2063, Africa’s developmental plan, makes sure to highlight the indicator that nearly half of the continent’s population is young people. Like countries that have in the past benefited from their large populations, Africa must be able to ensure that it benefits from this population dividend.
However, what we will require is a state that is committed to social spending in upskilling young people, ensuring healthy young people and equipping young people with the opportunities for socio-economic transformation.
At the same time, it is important for the private sector to show commitment in their determination to ensure that young people are taken out of the cycle of the violence of poverty and unemployment.
The situation of young people in South Africa became a challenge in the post-apartheid era, but the triple crisis continues to trouble and haunt young people, blacks in particular, in the form of unemployment, poverty and inequality. Thus we believe in celebrating the 41st anniversary of the Soweto uprising we should reflect on how do we address in moving forward the triple crisis.
Motivated by the history of our country – that many of the struggles waged and won were predominantly led by young people – the contribution of young people in the development of South Africa is evident.
Young people themselves, today, must ensure that they create the conditions for them to achieve this holistic development. If not for themselves, then for future generations of young people, as our young generations of yesteryear certainly did.
The triple crisis continues to trouble and haunt young people, blacks in particular