Youth Day Reflections

“There is no place for [the African] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour. It is of no avail for him to receive a training which has as its aim, absorption in the European community” Hendrik Verwoerd, 7 June 1954

“Our original plan was just to get to Orlando West, pledge our solidarity and sing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Then we thought we would have made our point and we would go back home. No-one envisaged a process that would go beyond June 16th. Little did we expect the kind of reaction that we got from the police on that day.”

Murphy Morobe, an organiser of the march

  “On June 17, I watched as bodies were dragged out of what had been a shopping centre on the Old Patch Road (sic). I saw figures running out of the shop, some carrying goods. They ran across the veld like wild animals, dropping like bags as bullets hit them. I saw billows of smoke shoot up as the white vehicles burned. I thought the world had come to an end. I saw leaders inside and outside Soweto plead for reason ….”

Nomavende Mathiane, journalist

 These are the quotes that cut deep, and it paints a picture of events gone awry, stirring up anger, pain and repulsion, as it paints a picture for me of June 16th in 1976.

Its horrifying that these quotes are applicable to scenarios that still unfolds today in South Africa. 45 Years later, we continue to acknowledge the youth’s sacrifices, bravery and death as we continue to perpetuate the education inequalities and the deep cultural and social damage of apartheid. In addition to this, our youth face economic exclusion as we feed them dreams of a better tomorrow without enabling them to participate in a global economy. 

In my opinion, the key difference between 1976 and today, is that we have not as a society reached a turning point, where we are repulsed enough by our inaction, that we change and take sustained action.

Reread Verwoerd’s edited quote as “There is no place for [the African] in the ‘global’ community above the level of certain forms of labour. It is of no avail for him/ ‘her’ to receive a training which has as its aim, absorption in the ‘global’ community”

Yes, its offensive, but deep down do you really believe this?

If not, then why does our government:

• Continue to allow corruption and incompetency that robs our children of adequate facilities and infrastructure
• Fails to provide an environment where our children are safe at schools?
• Why are our poor entitled to schooling only whilst tertiary education remains prohibitively expensive?
• Import skills instead of buying local, especially during crises (yes SA has the requisite skills that are sought)

Why as an industry do we:

• Avoid building a deep specialisation and technical knowledge that will allow our youth and future generations to participate and compete globally?
• Continue to chase profit by engaging in cheap hourly skills only instead of building local talent
• Why do we continue to market and pour money into entry-level technology access without providing bridges to careers so that individuals can progress, build careers and focus on professionalism?
• Pay lip service to BBBEE and gender empowerment?
• Not equip our youth to participate in a larger economy?

To us as parents:

• Are we role models of integrity, discipline and a good work ethic or do we believe and teach our children that "it is our time to eat"?
• Do we understand that tertiary education is foundational and that more learning and application will continually be required?
• Do we embody perseverance and a belief that you can change the world by changing yourself?

To our youth:

• Do you understand that a learnership and or bursary opportunity that you squander makes it more difficult for businesses to continue these empowering programmes?
• Do you game the system and are you proudly a serial SETA and grant recipient? This is a short-term gain with dire long-term consequences for you and society.
• Do you understand that knowledge work is dependent on continual learning?

June 16th is a sad day that made our society pause, acting as a catalyst for change. Today, we still tread on the dreams and opportunities of African youth (albeit in a more pervasive and sometimes a subtler manner), as a society, as an industry and by the youth themselves. Yes, this is the legacy of apartheid, and yes there is an improvement. It is not enough, it is not OK and we are all accountable for our continued inaction. As an employer, a parent and a child who has experienced the inequalities of apartheid, my experience has taught me that resilience and hope fuels dreams and that every little action counts and makes a difference.

 To our youth, believe in yourself and persevere, do not forsake your roots, work globally but remember your roots, the generations that worked and still continue to work to create a better life for our youth. Remember to empower and lift those around you up. Strive to be the person that future generations can look up to.