Parties need to listen to the youth

It’s hard to believe that with less than three weeks to go until the general election, political parties are seemingly going about their business as they have in the past: targeting the “older” generations, instead of looking at the youth – a large percentage of registered voters.

There’s no question that young people’s confidence in the future of South Africa has plummeted. Their votes are still up for grabs, but whether they even go to the polls is another question altogether.

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According to a survey of 18 to 24 year olds, titled the Special South Africa Edition, released yesterday by the African nongovernmental organisation Ichikowitz Family Foundation, it showed that three-quarters of the respondents believed the nation was going in the wrong direction amid an unemployment, service delivery and electricity supply crisis.

They’re not wrong. In the survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews with over 1 000 people, “76% of those questioned were dissatisfied with the government’s efforts to crack down on corruption and 48% blamed the scourge for their difficulties in finding adequate employment”.

What’s even more concerning, is that almost half of them planned to emigrate, unless things changed drastically.

“Irrespective of what happens in SA’s general election, there is a groundswell of feeling that needs an outlet, which can only be met through action,” said foundation chair Ivor Ichikowitz.

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“The question is: what kind of action? Knowing what the problems are, allows those with authority and resources to make a real and positive difference.

“While there are great reasons to be hopeful about the future of the continent and South Africa, it would be foolhardy to ignore the warnings that are being expressed by our youth.”

The survey showed the youth are not against change.

Shouldn’t our politicians be appealing to the youth? Or do their voices matter just as little as everyone else’s?