SA youth should stand up for what is theirs
THE future of this country lies firmly in the hands of youth today.
Youth leadership is an indication of where the future leaders will come from, their calibre and abilities. To me, Youth Month reflects how far South African youth have come since 1976, academically, economically, socially and even politically.
Youth Month should be a celebration of achievements inspired by the youth of 1976, particularly in the area of education. Ideally, young people in South Africa should be able to address a plethora of issues affecting humanity globally.
South African youth should be in the same league intellectually with their Western counterparts in different work environments, contributing great ideas, whether in strategy meetings in New York or London.
They should be able to analyse the stock market in Frankfurt and engage in robust debates in global political bodies. Such colossal wishes are only possible through a good education system.
The youth of 1976 dreamt of being innovators and entrepreneurs so they could contribute to the socio-economic growth of our country. They wanted to wake up every morning with a proud smile on their faces be- cause their government ensured that they became employers and employees, improving the lives of their families every day and contributing to the economy of our country. The question remains: is the youth of 2012 anywhere near that dream?
President Zuma, as the country’s first citizen, is supposed to uphold our constitution. He should have taken it upon himself to fire the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, from her portfolio because she has violated section 29(1)(a) of the country’s constitution by denying the pupils of Limpopo school textbooks. What have these children been learning all this time? If the minister was driven by ethical considerations, she would have resigned.
I urge the young people of South Africa to start thinking about their future. The government has no interest in us, the NYDA couldn’t be bothered, except to increase its chairperson’s salary from R700 000 per annum to R2 million a year. It’s hard to understand what else this person does except to engage in annual salary adjustments for personal gain.
As young people of South Africa we need to start asking ourselves difficult questions.
We need to ponder on the direction in which our country is going and consider if the destination will benefit us in any way. I know that keeping silent while we are being trampled on by dishonest people in power won’t bring us any good fortune. Fear to express how we feel is not going to resolve anything. Following blindly individuals who get to the top using our power is not enough, because those same individuals will turn around and treat us like a nuisance.
The youth of 1976 took to the streets and made their voices heard and even had blood spilt against the apartheid government. There is nothing stopping us today, in an age of freedom, to stand together, hold hands (without violence), speak with one voice and tell the government that we are worth it and that we do matter. South Africa’s future lies in our hands.
The young people in the past struggled so the young people of today could have a strong base from which to plot their future.
We need not be fearful, or be lied to by politicians pretending to care. We need to take the bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground so that we could have the kind of South Africa that we’re all proud of. NTUTHUKO DUMAKUDE Hammarsdale