The new struggle facing South Africa’s youth was against drugs, gangsterism, alcohol-abuse, teenage pregnancy, truancy, mob justice, child and women abuse and xenophobia.
These were the enemies of freedom and democracy.
President Jacob Zuma made these comments yesterday at a Youth Day celebration in Newcastle while marking the 37th anniversary of the Soweto uprising.
“As we speak today, many parents are in pain as they watch their children deteriorating and their lives being destroyed by drugs and alcohol abuse,” said Zuma.
He told the crowd about his recent visit to Eldorado Park in Joburg and how he had listened to horrific stories of young people who robbed their families to get money for drugs.
“I have heard tales of children as young as eight who are now addicted to drugs. I have heard tales of young girls molested in drug dens, or lolly lounges.
“The youth have become slaves of drugs such as nyaope, whoonga, tik and kuber (a libido-enhancing and mind-altering smokeless tobacco used as a drug) among others. Others are slaves to alcohol abuse,” he said.
The government, with its partners, was implementing the anti-substance national plan of action, and communities had to play a role in ensuring its success.
The police already played a key role in fighting the scourge through visible policing.
“We must declare drug traffickers and those who run illegal alcohol outlets that sell alcohol to our children, (as) the enemies of our freedom. They should be ashamed of running businesses that destroy children, the youth and many families,” said Zuma.
The president spent a big part of his speech on education and assured young people their future was in good hands as the government was committed to improving education and creating jobs.
He used Census 2011 to point out that the figures for those who were in school as well as doing tertiary education were growing.
Unemployed youth remained a challenge though.
“Our education and development programmes are designed to correct this,” said Zuma.
The government had prioritised technical and vocational skills development when it invested R17.4 billion in increasing enrolment at FET colleges.
Since last year, these colleges had enrolled more than 550 000, the target the government had set.
“We exceeded this target and colleges enrolled 657 690 students. This represented an increase of 54 percent over the preceding year.”
There was also a plan to help young people start their own businesses. The newly formed Small Enterprise Funding Agency, a merger of small business financing institutions, had pledged to subsidise business training with R1.7bn over the next five years.
“In addition, the Industrial Development Corporation has announced a R1bn youth fund for concessional lending to youth-owned enterprises that create jobs. We have put all these programmes in place, and will also continue to improve access to education and basic services to improve the quality of life of young people,” he said.
Opposition parties, which shared the podium with him, accused the ANC of betraying young people by offering a sub-standard education.
PAC Youth League president Pitso Mphasha said only free education at all levels would brighten the future of young people.
“We don’t need this current education system that teaches us to be jobseekers. You cannot speak about development when you prepare youth to be the slaves of capitalists,” he said. - The Star