#IMadeMyMark: Future leaders not interested in 2019 elections
Two youngsters reveal why they will not be participating in this year’s elections.
The first general elections in South Africa, which were inclusive of people of all races, were held in 1994.
Results from those elections inaugurated the ANC as the ruling party and since then South Africa was introduced to a new constitution and a democracy, bringing an official end to apartheid.
This year marks 25 years of democracy.
In this 25th year, citizens will once again take to the polls on May 8 to take part in the sixth general elections.
While it is everyone’s democratic right to vote, some young people are not interested in exercising that right.
Hlengiwe Thabethe, a 25-year-old from Lambton, is just as old as our democracy and as a young adult, she feels excluded by political parties running for election.
ALSO READ: #IMadeMyMark: St Catherine’s learners share their reasons for voting
“I believe in voting for change,” said Hlengiwe.
“Although I understand the importance and regard it as irresponsible not to vote, I will not be voting this year.
“No political party truly invests in the youth.
“What they say during their election campaigns and what we experience post-elections are always two realities in contrast.”
Although Hlengiwe was not around during the apartheid era, she feels there were conducive systems in place, which helped better the country.
“Yes, segregation was wrong. A lot of things were wrong with our history, but when we changed to a democratic nation we could have kept some systems, like the education system,” she said.
“The state of education in our country is appalling.
A large number of children drop out of school and aren’t questioned for doing so.
It should be mandatory for children to be in school to avoid being led into harmful activities such as experimenting with drugs and increasing pregnancy statistics.
“The government should ensure more learners are in school and ensure skills development training is introduced at an early age to accommodate learners who are not academically inclined.
“Dropping out to just roam the streets should not be an option.”
According to Hlengiwe, during the series of negotiations between the then ruling party, the National Party, and various organisations including the ANC, the public should have been consulted for a more comprehensive deal to be brokered between the organisations involved.
“We live in a democracy, but we have no economic freedom,” she said.
“I see people, who look like me, struggling to make ends meet every day, but we must just be happy that we can live and work in neighbourhoods in which we were previously banned from. That is not enough.
“It’s worse because the leaders we should be looking up to do not inspire us at all. All we see from them are flashy cars and houses on Instagram. Not a noteworthy change in our communities.
“We definitely need younger leaders to pave the way forward.
“I am an Africanist and it pains me to see how little we are doing about xenophobia and the rights of other previously disadvantaged communities.
“Especially because as black people we know what it feels like to be subjugated.”
ALSO READ: #IMadeMyMark: Applications open for special votes
Twenty-five-year-old Germiston resident Mhero Maphuhla shares the same sentiments as Hlengiwe.
As a young, gay black man, Mhero believes political parties do not know where to place him in society.
“When leaders campaign for votes in our communities, they claim to understand the hate we experience daily, the fear we have for our lives and subsequently make promises they cannot keep.
“If they truly did, something would be done about the number of rapists and murderers who target lesbians and the hate speech and violence inflicted on the LGBTQI+ community in general,” he said.
“If politicians really want to see change, they should be inspired by the private sector. Citizens are raising capital to open gay clinics while we’re being publicly shamed in public clinics and hospitals.”
Mhero also believes there is a problem in the education system.
“Opportunities are scarce and far in between.
“Not everyone can afford to go to university, so people should have access to Seta programmes to upskill themselves and learn about various industries,” he said.
According to Mhero, not having money to further his education should not be the reason why he is excluded from securing a meaningful degree that could change his life.
“As the youth we need to invest in ourselves and stop looking to the government for help.
“Take a look at foreign nationals who come to our country.
“They start little tuck shops to make ends meet and in turn, we loot their shops because they’re ‘stealing our jobs’.
“Meanwhile, we have never thought to start our own businesses,” Mhero said.
“South Africa is home to different races, nationalities, beautiful cultures and people with different skills and we share the land, thus we should all contribute in developing the country.”
All political parties have the same approach, according to Mhero, they identify each other’s flaws, make empty promises and perpetuate corruption once elected.
“We claim to be a country that has socially evolved, but there is still no provision made for the LGBTQI+ community. If there was, gay pride would be largely supported and not frowned upon,” he said.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:
Or add the GCN on WhatsApp 079 406 1181 or BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137) today, to get all the latest news.
Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers Bedfordview Edenvale News, Alberton Record and Kempton Express.
