Takalani Moyeni’s biggest fear as is being unemployed and hooked on drugs due to a lack of opportunities. Photo by Zandile Khumalo
MZANSI will celebrate Youth Day on Sunday, 16 June, a commemoration of the 1976 Soweto Uprising.
This day is historic as it reminds Mzansi of the brave young people who marched and stood against the apartheid regime, demanding their right to education and equality.
But the youth of today have little to celebrate 30 years since the dawn of democracy.
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Daily Sun visited the community of Cosmo City, a kasi north of Joburg, where residents revealed that the young people in the area are grappling with the high rate of unemployment, limited access to opportunities, drug and alcohol abuse.
Takalani Moyeni (19), who reflected on the high unemployment rate in the country, fears being a statistic when she’s in her 20s.
She said:
“My biggest fear, as I step into my 20s, is if I’ll I succeed in life. Our youth has been so consumed by drugs. I look around my peers and realise they didn’t have enough opportunities to reach their goals.”
She added: “Dreams and goals of the youth here in Comso City die after finishing matric because there’s no employment. Sometimes, the situation makes it even harder to pursue their studies.”
Takalani said amid all her worries, she has little hope in government as she feels no one speaks to her, not even ward councillors.
“I don’t even know who my ward councillor is. These people are the bridge between government and us, but they are not present. Without them, we don’t have representation. This makes us to give up,” she said.
Patricia Runganga said the only way for the youth to change the current status of youth unemployment is creating opportunities for themselves. Photo by Zandile Khumalo
Her views were echoed by Okuhle Booi (23), who said: “Government doesn’t care about us. We count among the highest in the unemployment rate, but government is not doing anything about it. Government is our steppingstone to building our community and when we don’t have this support, it’s hard to better yourself.”
Okuhle Booi criticised government’s apparent disinterest in understanding the struggles faced by communities in Cosmo City. Photo by Zandile Khumalo
Agreeing with Okuhle was Molemo Mohlisa (23), who said their community is infested with drug abuse and unemployed youth who have also dropped out of school and resorted to crime and violence.
Molemo Moholisa hopes the country’s new leadership will not turn their backs on the youth. Photo by Zandile Khumalo
“Government has not done anything. Things are getting worse. They say there are jobs, how do we access them? I’ve been failed to a point where I have to save myself because I can’t trust the government,” he said.
Despite their grievances, these young people look forward to a new leadership they hope will bring the change they need and deserve.
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