At least someone is talking about You(th)!

SEDIBENG.- After a long time since the dawn of democracy, it seems as though young people in this country will be taken into consideration.

I am saying this as the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) concluded its elections for its National Executive Committee (NEC) over the weekend. Although it is said that it was filled with chaos, at least someone is talking about young people, the youth. The elections took place after a long eight years of the ANCYL’s non-existence, and no one talking about young people.

Pardon me if you think I am going to bore you with politics, I actually want to talk about young people, the youth, who are the future of this country.

Young people, and their needs and rights, have for a long time been neglected in this country, their voices have for a long time been silenced and it is high time that they stood up. I do not know if we should take the ANCYL’s elections as a positive step toward youth empowerment, but at least someone is talking about young people, the youth.

The ANCYL describes young people as being between the ages between 18 and 38. I do not, myself, know the definition and the requirements of being a young person and the age limit, but at least, after a long time, someone is talking about looking at the needs and interests of the young people of this country.

Young people in this country face many challenges, so many that I would have to take a day off and pen them down, one by one and thereafter release a book.

We should take note that young people not only represent the future of our country, but they are also one of society’s main agents of change and progress, and they have a great effect on economic development too. I believe that many young people should be given a role to be productive, a meaningful role that will take this country to greater heights, even though there are some who may not find a specific purpose, I’m sure there are many who are able to fulfill their dreams.

We should let the youth fulfill their dreams, and take this country forward so that in the near future talk about them abusing substances can end, talk about them being unemployed can end, talk about them expecting hand-outs in the form of government grants can end, and in the end talk about them being a lazy bunch can end.

As we also recently concluded Youth Month, for me the ANCYL elections are a step in a greater future, a step in the right direction. I do not know if they will fulfill their promises of looking after the interests of young people and making sure that young people are included in decision-making, in authority, and in the development of this country.

I am however super excited that after a long time, at least someone is talking about the future of this country, the young people, the youth.

Franklin D. Roosevelt: “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future”

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