We Are Not Lazy. We Are Locked Out.

Blaming young people for political disengagement ignores the truth: the system has shut the doors that once led to change.

Every Youth Month in South Africa pans out the same. Disgruntled youth authors write about the lack of youth leadership, collectivisation, and a government that severely underprioritises and underrepresents the youth. The more aged authors write about how Youth Month has lost its message, no longer symbolising the struggle that once was. To that, I say they are correct — this country can no longer rely on its past, fail to accept the present, and refuse to build the future. There is an element of honesty that the country ought to engage with.

It goes without saying that Youth Day, June 16th, 1976, was a keystone moment in the struggle against Apartheid. Many historians mark it as the turning point of Apartheid, and for many young people, it represents the power they once had to change the tide against an oppressive regime. It was a day that ended in bloodshed and led to many young people not seeing their country reach the dream of democracy. It was a day of great sacrifice — a moment where South Africa’s injustices were exposed to the world.

However, it struggles to resonate today. The system that oppressed many years ago fails to engage a third of the population that was present. The stories of the past speak to a generation removed, and a moment that was once historic has been championed as a platform for former activists and politicians to grandstand and make commitments to the dreams they once had — without any action or policy. It no longer became a day to commemorate; rather, it became a day to once again address the failures that disproportionately affect the youngest in the country.

On the other hand, young people use this as a holiday — forgetting the sacrifices it took to become a democratic country. The struggle that took place, the ideologies of Black Consciousness introduced by Steve Biko, reminded Black people about the importance of self-pride and community development by the community. But Apartheid became a thing of the past. It was no longer an ideal worth pursuing because the system no longer cared for race in the same ways it did historically. And yet, the same youth will complain and protest at the earliest convenience, unable to make long-term strides that allow active participation in the political system.

However, this is not their fault — but rather a system designed to exclude. Many people are quick to forget that part of the unionisation that dominated much of the 1900s happened in the education space. On a daily basis, students were welcomed and brought together to learn — in most instances, poor-quality education. There was no option but to stand up and fight; the prospect of failure was a collective burden and an individual struggle.

Contrast that to now, where universities globally and in South Africa are becoming more privatised. Only the lucky, educated few who are willing to do the hard work, have the privilege of a functioning education system and access to resources, get to populate the space. Those who are unable to keep up are kept out — unable to engage, disrupt, and speak out about the injustices that take place. Unable to unionise, the system may appear similar, but it is not the same.

Unemployment stands at 32.9%, and youth unemployment sits at 46.1%. The largest demographics are no longer from within the university, but rather outside its walls. Universities have become more effective at quelling protests and have invested greatly in private security after the eruption of #FeesMustFall. Moreover, universities have become increasingly more expensive, representing only approximately 1.7 million people; they significantly underrepresent the demographics of this country. Denying universities the same cultivation they once had — when accessibility was based on merit and not finance — university spaces have rid themselves of the spectrum that is South Africa.

Furthermore, the South African government’s unwillingness to let go of the past and chart a future that the country can measure with defined metrics and clear timelines continues to lead to a world of nostalgia. One where the past political activists were more engaged and committed to the cause. But there is not even the slightest expectation for the leaders of now to lead us into the future — rather, they celebrate their victory lap of almost 60 years.

The country is broken. Sixty percent of learners are unable to read for understanding in Grade 4. That is only bound to worsen political engagement and understanding. More and more youth are falling into unemployment, without a degree or matric certificate — not having much of a way out. And there is still a desire to blame the youth for a system that actively disincentivises engagement and fails to provide a mechanism for upliftment.

The reality is that nothing happens for free. With South African youth being denied opportunities — and some opting to opt out of the political system as a whole — there is limited space to be heard and to be taken seriously. There is even less and less capital to ensure mobilisation, policy drafting, and protest can be organised and take place.

At some point, as a country, there ought to be recognition that the South African system was not built for young people. It failed young people — and now, more than ever, it is not just on young people, but on everyone, to address the major issues in the country.

South Africa has never had a messiah, though history may be written that way. It was grassroots organisations such as the UDF, trade unions such as COSATU, and organisations such as the PAC and ANC — which had millions of members — that changed the tide of Apartheid. It was not a division between young and old; it was a collective problem which everyone was tasked with addressing.

Let this be the Youth Month that everyone starts organising their community — doing the hard work one step at a time, so that a new path and future inclusive of all can be developed. Desmond Tutu said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Let us all play our part and remember: everyone was part of the youth once. In the moment of hardship and struggle, where the path may not be clear, all that is needed is a little good in the world — so that one day, it may change somewhere else.

Happy Youth Day.