Yes We Can!

“The world is full of non-political struggles that can not be publicly governed or ruled by votes.  Pick one and do something about it.”  - Tamara Booi

South Africa celebrates the youth during the month of June. This calendar celebration was born by the deaths of school children in Soweto on the 16 of June 1976. The youth of ’76 organized a march protesting Bantu Education and other apartheid laws. Sadly, their mere cry for oppression cost them their lives at very tender ages. Our political history teaches us how orderly and united was the youth of apartheid era. The youth of today is constantly referred and or compared to the youth of ’76. Rightfully so, the behaviours and attitudes of the current generation is generally appalling.


In this article I want to point out the great difference between today’s youth and the youth of ’76, which in my opinion makes the two groups rather complex to compare. South Africa during the struggle of land and humanity was BLACK & WHITE – literally. Our people were fighting towards ONE enormous goal, to free the country from apartheid. If you take time and engage with past comrades; follow documentaries and read books on the state of society back then, especially that of a black person; you will realize that life for a black person was all about fighting to be a human being. Our communities rarely had what’s considered a ‘proper’ family – a home that consists of a Mother, Father and kids living together. Our fathers were sent underground to be trained for wars and some were in exile. Every individual during this time was in a fighting mode. Almost like, every possible career was towards achieving this one goal.

Thank you to the likes of Tata Nelson Mandela (who is currently fighting for his life at Pretoria Heart Hospital) and his comrades, the goal was eventually achieved. A black person is FREE, A black person has OPTIONS and A black person has a VOICE today. As a youth after 1994, you are considered to be struggling no more. Or atleast your struggles are nothing close to what the youth before got to experience. You can go to any school you like; stay in any place you wish; share with the white folk; hire a white folk as a domestic, personal assistant or just as your ‘pappet’* – which were black people’s jobs during apartheid. Black people now own businesses and are participating in the economy of the country. In my opinion, all of these options at their desposal is exactly the problem.

Without making any excuses for the behaviours of our youth, the two youth groups can never be fairly compared. The struggles we are fighting are completely different. Our state of minds, living circumstances and economical advantages are parallel. With all due respect to the freedom fighters, the youth of today is fighting not only one struggle but many. We are fighting for maximum benefits in our economic freedom. The youth is fighting struggles of ‘expectations’. When the country was to be freed from apartheid, people expected to find jobs after college. People expected to run successful profitable businesses that are fully backed up by Government. People expected to have access to basic human needs like clean water. For example, there are still villages that still wait for the rain to drink water and still go to the river to do laundry. The youth of today is faced with the ungodly struggle of greed. The Government releases funds to facilitate projects towards basic needs to the people, and the project just vanish in the hands of not so “youth” individuals.  The youth is faced with the struggle of 'managing' freedom!

One thing that people should understand, the country has no particular BLACK & WHITE goal to achieve. The youth is fighting individual, cultural and organisational struggles which may have less to no significance to the not so clear vision of South Africa. In 1976 the vision of this country was clear; we wanted a Democratic Country that is led by a majority Government. The elders were clear in their mission execution hence the youth followed their leaders with the same frame of mind.

The youth should never be discouraged by this comparison, in my opinion, it is not thought through. Keep fighting in your little corners and achieve your goals as per your country’s presentation. Respect and trust your leaders to lead you. Do not be despondent, keep voting! Remember, that is what the apartheid generation fought for - To be able to vote. If you do not vote because you are unhappy, trust me, you will not be happy by not voting. Try and focus your energies in giving freedom to those who are still not free even after 19yrs of liberty. I am talking about the people in townships and villages who are still dying because they could not reach the nearest hospital in time.  The kids that still walk long distances bare foot to get to the nearest school. I am talking about those kids who are orphaned by HIV & AIDS.  The people who are sitting with no diagnosis, spreading TB cough in rural areas. If you are able and can, school a child. Let’s take ownership of our country as individuals, let those who are put to lead do their job. Do your part to a point that when they look down, they feel nothing but shame if they fail the country.

The US first Black President, Barak Obama will be in South Africa on Friday on his Africa visit. In his words I say – YES WE CAN!

Until next time, UNITY is POWER!

Tamara Booi