By Lehlogonolo Masuku
We are almost nearing youth month in South Africa, marked by the revolution that gave birth to the emancipation of the marginalised. Now, all that has been opaqued by the failure of the current government to successfully deliver human rights, such as water, employment, and energy. The trajectory of our economy is spiralling downwards, and nothing seems to change. Do we have a driver? Seemingly, the people we put in power to serve are either self-serving or employees of their political affiliations.
Recently we’ve seen a massive EFF National shutdown protest, attempting to prompt government reaction to the socioeconomic ills plaguing the nation. Service delivery is not a priority in the current political dispensation, and this is apparent with Eskom, which is asphyxiating the ailing economy. We should see youth’s participation in public offices now because they are the future. Unfortunately, we are led by septuagenarians and octagenarians whose grip on power dates back to the first democratic administration.
More alarming is that an inactive septuagenarian occupies the current parliamentary youth portfolio. Holistically, youth have no empowerment, excluding them from participating as active citizens in the economy in which they are the beneficiaries. In a democratic society like this, we pride ourselves on our well-articulated constitution, yet the nation still grapples with providing basic needs.
Consulting the fourth tenet of Batho Pele principles, it says that all citizens have the right to access the services they are entitled to. Still, here in Makhanda, access seems to be an unknown phenomenon when it is time for service provision. Water stress is crippling this small town – we all keep wondering whether things will change for the better or worse. How much worse could it get? Earlier this week, the city experienced a protest led by the student body. This one does not need a prophecy to take a guess; the cause is the lack of water or, should I say, communication to at least inform the people of the state of the water crisis.
Again the most affected in this predicament is the youth, the student community remains helpless in the midst of this. Accordingly, it marks a decade with this challenge, for it has been prolonged thus far; it is doubtful if this qualifies to be termed a challenge anymore, the lack of interest in addressing the water shortage is appalling, and nobody is assuming responsibility. Nonetheless, the youth remain hopeful.
