Publications
KEDIBONE KESIMOLOTSE (24)
June 16 is basically about heroes who died for our freedom and it’s about them giving us the freedom we have today.
During those times, they faced major challenges because they never had the free education we have today and freedom of speech, so their fighting for us made our lives better.
I feel that if young people took positions of leadership, that would make us shape our future.
I feel like my voice is heard, but there’s still a lot of inequality, as young people in townships aren’t given the same opportunities as those in white communities.
SPHIWE PIKE (26)
The year 1976 was the uprising era of South Africa. Most importantly, the youth was at the forefront of that struggle and that remains important today.
To be honest, I feel as if democracy and government are failing us as the youth.
I don’t feel that my voice is heard because even if we have our outcries, nothing changes. Parliament’s still occupied by old people.
My hope for the future is that we get a good organisation politically, with leaders similar to the likes of Steve Biko and Chris Hani.
MOTJOLI MPOPO (22)
We celebrate Youth Day because there was a march against Bantu education and, in the process, many young people lost their lives.
I feel that the current generation is misguided and we follow the wrong things, such as drugs and alcohol.
There’s no future for this current generation. We fail to create our own opportunities and we’re too focused on parties.
I don’t feel that my voice is heard because our leaders don’t take young people seriously and political organisations are led by old people.
My hope for the future is that acts of xenophobia end and that we can live together as one, since South Africa is democratic.
KHOSI MOHALE (22)
Youth Day [commemorates] Soweto schools fighting against Bantu education – and a lot of people died in the process.
It means to me that young people can bring about change, since we’re now free and can take our economy to the next level as the youth. From the looks of things, the economy’s very low and the youth seem to have lost all hope for the future because our government’s letting us down.
My voice isn’t heard because a lot of us are unemployed and our country’s not going anywhere. My hope for the future is that our government creates jobs for the youth so that we can be economically active.
I also feel that right now, we’re living in a depressing environment.
REFILOE LEBUSA (27)
Youth Day doesn’t mean a lot to me because, although the youth of 1976 fought for us, I’m still living in poverty, as I’m unemployed.
My voice isn’t heard because I always express myself about poverty in our community, but our leaders don’t do anything about it.
With all the negative things in our lives, I see a positive future only if our leaders can change their ways and stop the corruption.”
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