Youth have their say on upcoming elections

Durban — Young people are concerned about the state of the country and many are looking to make their mark on May 29 in the hopes of a better future.

Zethembe Mziki, 29, lives in Waterloo, a township, and is pursuing a degree in political science, philosophy and economics.

“I am registered to vote and I will be voting. I believe in participating in democracy. I will vote because I understand as an African I was previously disadvantaged. My right to vote was afforded to me through the bloodshed of many innocent lives who simply wanted all of us South Africans to be included in our nation’s decision-making.

“As a young person, I believe we have a duty to listen to what political parties are saying and then simply make a patriotic choice. In my opinion, our government fails to have programmes to make youth patriotic just like post-apartheid youth,” said Mziki.

He said it was important to understand the policies of political parties to make an informed choice.

“Some parties are just scratching the surface like campaigning on making government more efficient again but if you pay close attention to the policies some parties want to do away with things like national minimum wage. That will increase worker exploitation and trigger rioting all over.

“There is a huge decline in opportunities for young people. However the country is developing and there are a lot of opportunities we could create for ourselves,” said Mziki.

Lee-Anne Camacho, 28, from Ballito, works as a junior front-end web developer and office administrator with no higher qualifications.

“I am registered to vote, however, I won’t be voting because I went to register for my smartcard ID and I was born here in SA, and when I went to register the officials processed my details on the system. I got a call a month or two later from the Department of Home Affairs explaining that I cannot apply for a smart ID card because my parents weren’t born here (my mom was born in Maputo and my father in Portugal). This means that I have to get a green ID book (no one makes them any more). In any case, I don’t think I would like to vote at all as I’m not certain it counts for anything.”

She said despite her own experience, the country had great opportunities for young people.

“Although the government is fumbling, its people are smart and possess great entrepreneurial and leadership capabilities,” she said.

Nasreeza Pillay, 29, from Chatsworth, works in the insurance industry and has a tertiary education.

“I am registered and I will be voting. It’s my right to vote, voting gives me the opportunity to make my own choice and people who don’t are giving up their opportunity to implement change. They shouldn’t complain when the wrong party is elected,” said Pillay.

She said that opportunities for the youth were limited.

“Most opportunities are given to those who have the most experience, being young and without the experience tends to create a hindrance in the growth of young people,” said Pillay.

Edwina Taz Ezekiel Brijmohun, 31, from Tongaat is a foundation phase teacher.

“I’m registered to vote and I will be voting because I am hoping for a better SA. It’s an integrated responsibility. The business community has an obligation and social responsibility to create opportunities for youths.

“Our graduates have invested in their education.

“It’s the responsibility of the government to also create opportunities and to work in partnership with businesses,” said Brijmohun.

“There will always be challenges and obstacles, but every opportunity given to a youth in the job market is a learning curve. It is there to help them to become leaders and managers so they can give back to society. Our education system, as much as it has evolved, must continuously improve to ensure education prepares the youth to become employable,” she said.

Sunday Tribune

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