By Sibabalwe Tame
A Makhanda youth plans to adopt the ideologies of stalwarts Robert Sobukwe and Makhanda ka Nxele to coach the youth to take it upon themselves to ensure a bright future for future generations.
For one, Tukela Seyisi, a grade 10 Hoerskool PJ Olivier learner, aims to visit schools in the community and encourage the youth via workshops to participate in identifying the problems in the community.
He is an ambassador of Robben Island. This after he excelled in a museum sustainability and well-being contest in the Sarah Baartman district recently.
On 10 May, Makhanda’s Amazwi South African Museum of Literature hosted the Sarah Baartman District International Museum Day celebrations under the theme “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being”, where learners from various schools of Makhanda had the opportunity to educate themselves on the history of culture and livelihoods.
As the learners did their presentations in a topic of ‘Sustainability and Well-being’, Seyisi came first, ahead of four other finalists. On 23 May, there was another Provincial International Museum Days event at Albany Museum where Seyisi made the top four in the Eastern Cape, claiming the runner-up spot. He competed with six other districts, including Chris Hani, Amathole, Joe Gqabi and Nelson Mandela. Soon after, the top four went to Robben Island to represent the Eastern Cape in the Robben Island Museum.
At a press briefing on 26 October by Makana Ward 2 councillor Ramie Xonxa at the Makana Municipality City Hall Council Chamber, the spotlight shone on Seyisi as the Municipality celebrated his journey to becoming the proud Robben Island ambassador.
“We are proud as the municipality and the Department of Arts and Culture to ensure that the young man participated in such a very important programme,” said Zandisile Sakata.
Another government official, Sicelo Gqeke, who is a youth coordinator in the Makana Municipality, said such events showed that there is importance in reviving Junior Youth Counselling in the Municipality. “We have recently formed the Makana Youth Forum, and one of its programs is to revive the Junior Youth Council,” he added.
“We are very proud to have this young man who put Makana on the map. In our office, we’ll need to sit down with him and also relate with the Makana Youth Forum in terms of developing a programme,” Gqeke explained.
Seyisi’s aunt, Saxola Mkolo, praised him. She said his achievements have been “great” for the family, and they were proud of him. She also thanked PJ Olivier for playing a huge role in pushing him as far as he could go.
“The Robben Island Spring School was a great learning curve for me,” Seyisi said, adding that the theme for the spring school was ‘Reviving Africa’s Consciousness’.
He highlighted what he learnt from the Robben Island Museum such as the importance for the youth to step up and claim what is theirs using indigenous knowledge systems and being proud in Africa.
“It is the youth’s responsibility to ensure that the future generations will not suffer, and it is only in unity that we can adopt solutions to the problems that we identify within our community,” Seyisi added.
“When I was in Robben Island I participated in the leadership elective,” said Seyisi, adding that it was coached by Nosipho Hani, the granddaughter of Chris Hani, who, according to Seyisi, is a “youth empower”.
“She taught us how to identify problems and find solutions that are aligned with African Indigenous knowledge systems,” Seyisi added.
“With the ideologies of Robert Sobukwe, Makhanda ka Nxele, I’m aiming and mandated to take the youth, coach them and make the see why it is important for us to take it upon ourselves to ensure a bright future for future generations.”
