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As we celebrate Heritage Day this weekend, we have to be mindful that young people are getting left out of the conversations we need to have to build a prosperous nation.
South Africa’s youth have, in the past, always played a role in the country’s historic moments – both positive and negative. The youth we leave behind is being created and shaped today by politics, society, fashion, sports, arts, and culture.
Our country’s youth have played a leading and pivotal role in shaping the narrative when it comes to its heritage and will continue to do so as long as the opportunity arises. We have seen how young people have travelled the world and excelled in sports, yet they never forgot who they were or where they came from.
READ: Heritage and the rainbow nation: Are we creating the South Africa of our dreams?
We have seen this with notable stars, such as Bryan Habana in rugby or Lucas Radebe in soccer – both left our shores as young men to pursue their careers, yet they stayed true to who they were.
The current generation, with the likes of Banyana Banyana players, continues to show us that some are plying their trade overseas, representing South Africa well. They give the same superior performances for their national teams, converse in their mother tongues, and always refer to who and where they come from. The list is endless, with, among others, the likes of Sho Madjozi coming to mind, an exceptional young musician who continues to raise South Africa’s flag globally, and award-winning actress Thuso Mbedu.
These opportunities were largely made possible through the sweat and sacrifice of generations before the current crop of youth. These young people’s great-grandparents not only fought to have a right to cast a vote, but they also further laid a solid foundation that today sees more of our young people taking pride in who they are and asserting their place as they seek recognition of their languages, culture, arts, and historical importance of their immediate families and their geographical places of birth.
While braaing, as some have reduced Heritage Day to, they may need to think of the current, harrowing unemployment statistics that befall young people across races. Further to the joblessness crisis, we have challenges, such as the lack of access to quality education and safer places across our communities.
We have seen how deadly, violent incidents are on the rise among young people. These challenges should not dissuade us from a continuous commitment to investing in our youth. This should be through programmes aimed at empowering both the girl and boy children, either through skills development or concentrated training in how they can become future entrepreneurs able to create and sustain jobs.
READ: SA’s heritage needs more international awareness
While we note and are thankful for various programmes initiated by civil society with the support of government and some pockets of the private sector, at loveLife, we will continue to call on more hands to join in to assist. Daily, we see headlines that call on our conscience to do more and hold the hands of our young people. By doing that, we are building a heritage that future generations would commend.
The negative historical prevalence is that of the legacy of apartheid, whose wounds are still raw, even though we are almost three decades into South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
The green shoots are there that crystallise a viable future for our young people. There is an old African proverb that says: “It is the young trees that make up the forest.” It’s in this light that we should look at the poignant role our youth play in this forest. Without their meaningful contribution, we cannot claim to have entrusted and empowered our youth to fulfil and carry on with our rich heritage.
Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo, CA (SA), PhD, is the chief executive officer of the New LoveLife Trust.
