DA’s youngest MP tells ageing ANC: ‘You’re scared of us, the youth’

The youngest MP in South Africa’s history, Hlomela Bucwa, gave her maiden speech in parliament this week and, despite her clearly being nervous, she has been given great acclaim for her eloquence.

“Madam chair, I am moved to share the words of [William Butler Yeats]: ‘But I, being poor, have only my dreams. I have spread my dreams under your feet. Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.'”

She was quoting the poem The Cloths of Heaven.

She charged that the young generation in South Africa’s “dreams have been denied, hope has been diminished, trust has been broken, whose talents have been crippled”.

She said this “lost generation” was the victim of two decades of government corruption and greed … “whose government has turned its back on its people”.

She alleged the young people who’d given their lives at Sharpeville would “cringe in their graves” to look at today’s government, “which is no longer a selfless government”.

She alleged that government was now “scared of its young people … that is why they bring us 40-year-olds instead of people my age”.

“We find ourselves with a suppressive government that has failed its young people, that refuses to be corrected.”

She bemoaned the state of the basic education system, “which [teaches] to look for jobs, not to create jobs”.

She said there were 3 million people of her age (around 25) who were a lost generation, “mainly black, who are not in education, employment or training. They have been left behind.”

She said it would up to her generation to change the status quo, and not be divided by race, gender or religion … this generation will become the beacon of hope because you, as adults, have failed to provide that for us.”

She said the DA would rescue her generation and the country, and then provided a list of policy plans from the party to transform and improve education.

The speech will probably be remembered most, though, for her poetic closing line: “Let us tread softly because we tread on the dreams of a lost generation.”

What a moving inuagural speech. Great admiration from Gaborone, Botswana

— Chelsea Are World Champions (@caesarBW) February 22, 2017

Congrats to the youngest parliamentarian @HlomelaBucwa wishing you well,just b/c we disagree does not mean we are not proud to see you there

— Shaeera Akbar Kalla (@shaeera_k) February 22, 2017

No, @shaeera_k, @HlomelaBucwa has a right to express her views as you do. She has agency, too. Please respect this, even if you disagree. https://t.co/BWEZmJT986

— Nomboniso Gasa (@nombonisogasa) February 22, 2017

DA's @HlomelaBucwa wants to win youth votes speaking about education.DA said during #FMF that we should be dealt with harsher 😴😴😴🚮🚮🚮

— Azra Karim (@AzraKarim) February 21, 2017

"We are taught to look for jobs and not to create jobs, we are a lost generation" – @HlomelaBucwa
I'm so proud! 😩👏🏼✊🏼

— Bonnie Bennett 🎀 (@Nani_Wonga) February 21, 2017

Yasss leader! So proud of your slayage in your speech today! You spoke better than most MPs! Siyaziqenya ngawe! @HlomelaBucwa

— Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) February 21, 2017

Brilliant speech, even the hecklers had nothing to say!

— Oliver Meth (they/them) (@oliver_meth) February 21, 2017