ACTT hosts Youth Talent Show on Youth Day
Accountancy Community Through Tirisano (ACTT) youth celebrated their day in style on June 16.
ACTT is an academy that offers extra lessons to high school learners on Sundays. It operates out of Mpontsheng Secondary School in Katlehong.
Adults from the community and the youth from the academy came in their numbers to celebrate the day during the second annual art festival.
They were treated with drama, music, dance and poetry.
The groups who participated also competed against each other for the prizes that were up for grab.
The Seeds Drama Group got position three and went away with R200, while Sakhile Community Cultural Group got position two and took home R350. The winners were Mpilisweni Choir they went away with the cool sum of R750.
Enett Mokoena, director and chairperson of the ACTT board, said the purpose of the day was to celebrate the holiday and also identify talent.
“Young people’s talents are wasted because no one recognises them. No one gives the youth a chance to show off their talents. That is why we decided to host this talent show together with celebrating Youth Day. We want young people’s talent not to be wasted on drugs.”
He told Kathorus MAIL that they want to teach the youth to celebrate the day in a responsible manner.
“The youth of today do not understand how important this day is. Young people died fighting for the education that we have in this country. But the youth of today think this day is about going to taverns to drink alcohol and get high on different drugs,” said Mokoena.
He said it is a fact that the youth of today have a problem with drug abuse.
“It is a fight that the youth won’t fight alone. It needs old people to help the youth fight this war against drugs. As the community we need to work together, not in isolation,” Mokoena told Kathorus MAIL.
“The only way we can build this community is only if we fight together just like the youth of 1976 did. They fought and won the fight against the education system at that point in time.”
Mokoena said he personally does not condone the way adults abuse the holiday.
“Older people do not respect the education system of this country. You see that by the way they abuse their school uniform to celebrate Youth Day. They wear the school uniform and go to a tavern and drink irresponsibly wearing full uniform. They forget that young people lost their lives in 1976,” Mokoena said.
He concluded by saying: “It feels bad to see adults abusing Youth Day the way they do. They show disrespect. The day symbolises dignity and unity.”
