People from all walks of life stand patiently for hours to exercise their democratic right to elect the leaders who will govern our country.
We have witnessed a sense of social cohesion and social maturity like never before. Neighbours with clearly different political views and opinions stood side by side sharing a joke or two while waiting to vote, and this is when we recall the words of Nelson Mandela in the early 90’s about his vision where one day South Africans are bound together by their common destiny, where there will be neither white nor black, but just South Africans, free and proud.
On May 7 we saw the epitome of Nelson Mandela’s vision at a voting stations where people were bound together by their common destiny. We have long bridged the gap as a nation to stand united in our diversity and honour our democracy. It is almost incomprehensible that we had such deeply rooted divisions in our past looking at the demographics in the line running up to the voting station.
It reflected a community representing all groups in our country, integrated in a suburban environment. Gauteng has become a role model for integration, by building new communities, honouring the principals on which our democracy was founded. The irony of course, is that we have an expectation of the youth to relinquish prejudices of their parents. In reality, social and economic conditions still shape the paradigm of our youth.
We have a social responsibility to teach our children the importance of voting and as such honour our democracy. Let’s teach the next generation to live up to the expectations we have had of the previous generation. Hopefully this will bridge the gap of our disappointments. After each election we turn a new page filled with our individual and our collective hopes and dreams. Many left the voting station on Wednesday feeling free and proud to be a part of the future of South Africa.
The irony of course, is that we have an expectation of the youth to relinquish prejudices of their parents. In reality, social and economic conditions still shape the paradigm of our youth.
