Curro high schoolers answer: If I were president for a day …

The national elections are upon South Africans once again with President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing that the 2024 general elections will be held on May 29.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) notes that people can register to vote from the age of 15 and can only legally cast their vote at the age of 18. Matriculants stand a chance to legally cast their vote because many of them are at the eligible age.

According to a study conducted in 2020 by Collette Schulz-Herzenberg titled The South African non-voter: An analysis, only 19% of all eligible 18 to 19-year-olds registered to vote, and only 15% of all eligible 18 to 19-year-olds voted.

The Krugersdorp News visited Curro Krugersdorp High School to find out what the Grade 12 learners think about the elections.

The learners actively engaged in an interesting discussion where they shared their views on what they would do if they were to be president for a day.

• Head girl Tumisho Seaka expressed her concern about lawlessness, noting its occurrence at various levels of society. She highlighted the importance of justice and the need for every police file to be diligently addressed to achieve resolution.

• Palesa Talane emphasised the importance of implementing an inclusive education system, ensuring that both those who have completed matric and those who have not are still able to pursue further education. This approach aims to promote education for all citizens and contribute to building a stronger economy.

• Krysten Prins said, “I would advocate for free tertiary education. I feel it is the cornerstone of promoting social progress. I don’t feel it is fair to ask a fee for economic growth and to further your life’s purpose. I think it is unfair to limit people their opportunities due to their economic or financial background, or social status. Having free education is not just the right choice but it’s a smart investment for the country and its prosperity and well-being.”

• Anke de Beer said “I would lower the taxes on this country as we depend a lot on buying foreign products. This country makes really good products and we export most of our class A products, which is why we also lose more money because the people here in our country can’t buy those levels of products and also make money off it. Cutting expenses would reduce the financial strain on families therefore people will have the opportunities to do more things like having businesses, paying for education, and contributing to the economy.”

• Atlegang Gadigale concluded by suggesting providing job opportunities in parliament for qualified individuals with backgrounds in political science or international relations. She said this approach is aimed at fostering a better future for South Africa, particularly as the country transitions towards technological development. Additionally, she suggested more investigators to handle cold cases efficiently.