Glenville Fransman writes:

On Youth Day, 16 June, one has to wonder whether there is any reason to celebrate Youth Day when our young people face so many challenges these days.

The South African youth face issues like crime, unemployment, poverty, and most importantly, unequal opportunities in education. These challenges should have no place in the daily lives of South African youth, especially since it has been over two decades since the nation’s first democratic elections.

The biggest problem facing the youth is unemployment. They constitute the highest population in Africa, yet they are the most vulnerable, least privileged, and unattended to in society. It is, unfortunately true, especially in the townships, rural areas and villages, that young people feel hopeless.

They feel that only young people belonging to a certain group or area get opportunities to study or employment, whether in the municipality or other government departments.

Like I stated at a funeral of a young person earlier this year, it is a fact that we, as leaders, pastors and parents, have failed our young people by not holding the immoral to account.

Statistics South Africa and the Optimus Study reveal alarming information about the children and youth of our country. Sixty-three per cent of South Africa’s youth was unemployed (as at the beginning of 2019).
Research indicates that the youth are at a high risk of being vulnerable to crime.

Every third child (35.4 per cent) has experienced some form of sexual abuse and 12.2 per cent of young people report having experienced some form of neglect during their lifetime.

The department of social development revealed that 29 per cent of youth admitted to binge drinking in the past month. Schools and day- care centres in the townships report the further challenges of teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, physical abuse, and the absence of fathers or father figures.

The 1976 uprising raised the political awareness of students and introduced a renewed expression of youth independence and initiative to change their surroundings, starting with schools.
The dream of the youth of 1976 and 1994 is fading as there is still a large gap of young people in the government and political leadership.

The country is still in an economic crisis, whether the government and business want to acknowledge it on not.
Just when we thought we were moving from the effects of state capture and corruption, we faced the Covid pandemic. Just after that, it was the July unrest in 2021, the effects of which we will still feel in the future. Indeed, we have been through a lot as a country.

If the public and private sector are serious about empowering our youth, they need to have more robust debate with youth at all levels and all areas, from the village to farms, from townships to the city and from a municipal level to a provincial one.

“Young people must have their voices heard at all times. We cannot be passive participants in the conversations about our future. We must get active and create the future the way we want it.” Edem Agbana.

I want to close with the three most powerful scriptures for our young people today.

Prov. 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Psalm 119: 9 and 10 – With what will the young man keep his way pure? By keeping to your word. I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commandments.

Ephesians 6:2 – Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the good land, which the Lord thy God gives to thee.