Betrayal of liberation
By: Nadine Speelman
The youth that used to be at the forefront of political engagement during the struggle against Apartheid have now changed into disengaged members of society. They were regarded as the most politically engaged but are now detached from any political revolutions. Could this be another reason for the country moving in the wrong direction?
The generation of today differs from the youth of 1976. These students marched through the streets of Soweto in protest against all of their subjects being taught to them in Afrikaans and English. This is what this youth were up against: a corrupt educational system… and they made a point of fighting for their rights. Today the fight against bad education has not changed much.
In 2012, many schools in Limpopo did not receive textbooks but Basic Education Minister Angie Motshega was not fired during President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle. The text book saga is repeating itself. Many schools have not yet received any textbooks but the question still remains: where is the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) and what is it doing? This is a clear indication of what they consider to be a priority because it’s not the same as the corruption charges that were brought against Zuma or Julius Malema. Educational issues seem to be of less importance to them. The only thing that gets the youth out onto the streets in protest is support of politicians accused of corruption.
A study has shown that youth voters’ participation is among the lowest, but an increase is seen in seniors aged 60-69. As the youth grow older, it is believed that their political participation will increase. Therefore it’s not something to worry about because the young generation will mature at a later stage.
The government has not yet succeeded in creating an effective youth stimulation and inspirational system to motivate the youth to be part of political affairs. During the ruling party’s national and provincial elections in 2014, one would be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of people under the age of 35 on party lists and part of this problem is the nature of youth organisations and even the Youth League itself.
It would help if the schooling system educated the youth on issues such as unemployment, education and youth projects, but it has failed to do so.
According to the former Youth League President Julius Malema, “The youth must think that politics is corrupt, and for a young boy from the township a future in politics is not bleak.” He proved his point when he was charged with fraud and defeating the end of justice.
Peter Kruger, a 14-year-old from Bellville, responded to the youth political involvement and shone a light during a very dark time: “To say that politics does not influence or affect our daily lives is a plain and uneducated lie.”
The African National Congress is well-known for its rich history of liberation, but many politicians have shattered this reputation. Many of them are being investigated for allegations of fraud and they are constantly being scrutinised for bad service delivery. This has made many youths lose confidence in our leaders’ ability to run the country and many young people are probably not going to the polls this year.
The members of the Youth League don’t realise that they have been used for political wars between individuals. Many of them are going to support these political figures but have to return home to conditions of poverty.
Another example is the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which is being led by the infamous Malema, who faces charges of fraud. Many of them don’t really know why they support him because it’s not like he did a great job as the leader of the ANCYL. He hasn’t provided them with jobs or better self-development projects.
When Malema was still backing Zuma, the youth was used to help Zuma get into office… but now they are being used to get Malema a seat in parliament. They don’t realise that they are being used as formidable forces in the political environment and, at the end of the day, won’t have anything to show for their loyalty.
