SA Hear My Voice

So many of us say, ‘I’m so glad I’m not in school anymore!’ What we are referring to is the drudgery and routine that comes with going to school.

Soon the matrics of this year will utter those words too. For many it appears to be an exciting time! The world is their oyster. Or is it?

How does the youth of today really feel? Is the world their oyster or do they have a quite different view on what the future holds?

Today we hear from a young lady on the brink of adulthood. What she says about facing adulthood in SA of 2021 and beyond.

The voice of Zanika Steynfaardt (17 years old):

“What will SA be like in the future? Better, worse or the same? If it is better, will it be a place where our children can grow up and feel safe and secure? Or will it be a place fraught with fear and burgeoning crime?

In my humble view, it may very well come down to one especially important point. That being, we must change. Let me explain why I make such a bold statement.

 How do you feel when you hear of people being savagely murdered everyday? Innocent farmers getting brutally killed and maimed. Young girls and woman getting raped, children getting kidnapped and many more unspeakable crimes that are all happening in OUR land. The land we call South Africa and more importantly our home. How terribly sad and terrifying, that it has become normal and something that we hear of everyday?

Since when should we not be able to walk alone to places without fearing getting mugged or even killed for a cell phone or wallet? Worse still, raped or murdered. I have to ask, ‘have some South Africans really become so evil that they draw an inexplicable satisfaction from maiming, killing, and raping, thereby destroying innocence and our fragile society at the same time. Do some people truly have no emotion or remorse towards human life?

 How are we as the future generation supposed to have a life, a family, and any hope for the future in a country where it appears that we feel so little for the sanctity of others?

How many of you agree that SA is not looking after the basic needs of our people? Thousands of homeless and jobless people are out there fighting for survival.  Working their tails off just to buy a bread everyday to feed their children.

I know job opportunities are scarce, but should SA not provide for those who suffer and who cannot work? Surely this will decrease theft and home invasions by a large percentage! For this to happen, our government needs major improvement an overhaul and most importantly take responsibility.

We all agree that South Africa is a beautiful country! It has so many positives. It just feels that we have reached a point where the bad has overcome the good.

 Racism, discrimination, differing religious beliefs, different cultures and gender inequality are some of the biggest hurdles that South Africa faces.

As a scholar I am the first to say that our schools are getting worse. We do not know how to treat each other with respect. I frequently see students fighting, cussing each other, judging, and gossiping.

What do we do? Why does it have to be this way?

If we choose to look past all the above negatives and focus on the fact that we are all inherently the same. All made of flesh and bone.

I believe if all South Africans could make tiny changes, we may see a better future for the country we know and love.

Surely, we could start with the way we treat each other.  Start showing mutual respect towards one another. Yes, we might not like everyone, but we do not have to show it. If all of us just start there, would we not already see a huge change?

The youth are the future of this country. We are the face of the new South Africa. Do we keep projecting hatred towards each other or do we start treating our neighbour with kindness and respect even when we don’t agree with them.

We say ‘ NO! ‘ IT ALL NEEDS TO STOP! We are completely tearing one another apart!

I say to the youth and all South Africans, let us try harder, try to be the better person. 

Should we choose not to change there is no hope for a better future for our country or ourselves.

As mentioned, our world has become one of bitterness and fraught with evil. So, let us start today because if not now, WHEN?

Let us stop blaming the government. Let us start blaming ourselves for playing victims!

The first step to change starts with us!”

From the Editor:

Thank you Zanika, for a most thought-provoking viewpoint.

When I think of the youth of today the first thing that comes to mind is how pleased I am that I am not one of them.

 Never has a generation faced such a surreal existence.

As Zanika says, ‘the first step of change starts with us all!’

from the Editor