The date, June 16, is loaded with so much meaning in SA. It is synonymous with youth power, activism and protest. And rightfully so.
It commemorates the June 16 1976 uprising and it honours the courage of young people who fought apartheid education policies.
In doing so, many lost their freedom and even their lives.
Every politician from every party will say the right things on what has now been called Youth Day.
They will speak cloyingly about youth unity and commitment and power.
The youth will be urged to rise up, like their 1976 counterparts, and change the world.
Rousing slogans will be bandied about like “be the change you want to see”.
But somewhere along the line, most political parties have lost the youth.
According to the Electoral Commission (IEC), the trend of low turnout among young and first-time voters is now firmly established.
In the 2021 local government elections, 90% of the 1.8-million 18-19-year-olds eligible to vote, did not even register to do so.
Similarly, just under 20% of those aged 20 to 35 registered to vote.
The youth has opted out of electoral democracy and the reason must be that democracy has not delivered the better future that the born-frees expected.
The perception seems to be that in all the contestation going on among all our political parties, the youth and their concerns simply don’t feature in any meaningful way.
And the disillusionment is not misplaced.
Census figures suggest that more than 30% (three million) 15-24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training and the numbers grow annually.
According to the SA Labour and Development Research Unit, the longer this group, often referred to as NEETS, are excluded from access to the labour market, education and training, the greater risk they face of “enduring income poverty and mental health issues”.
They face discouragement, social exclusion and increased risk behaviour.
At the heart of their disengagement from our electoral democracy are feelings of disempowerment and a disbelief in their ability to effect change through conventional institutions and activities such as voting.
It’s not unique to SA, but it is something that this developing democracy needs to address as a matter of urgency.
And so, on June 16, while we celebrate the role of youth in shaping SA’s path toward freedom and justice, we need to also find ways to listen to what our youth have to say about their lives, their hopes and their futures.
And then we need to find ways to include them in shaping solutions.
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