Cape Town - What’s it like to be young in South Africa?
South Africa’s democracy entered adulthood in 2015, but 21 years after the end of apartheid, has the country really grown? We asked a few young and some older Capetonians what they thought.
On June 16, 1976 about 20 000 young South Africans took to the streets of Soweto in protest against an unjust system – some brandishing posters that read: “Down with Afrikaans” and “Bantu Education – to Hell with it”. They fought for a society in which young people would be free and allowed to dream big.
In celebration of Youth Day, we spoke to young Capetonians of various ages and from different backgrounds, and asked what their dreams were, and whether they thought those dreams were achievable.
We spoke to three primary school pupils, three high school pupils, and three young adults. Their answers gave us reason to be optimistic.
The primary school-aged children had clear ideas about their futures, even at that early age. Uwais Paulse, from Grassy Park, already has plans for tertiary education, saying he would like to attend a “learning school” to achieve his dream of becoming a chef.
The high school pupils were optimistic about the future, but also more aware of the challenges they may face. Thando Ngesi, from Mfuleni, was worried that financial restrictions may prove an obstacle to achieving his dream of becoming a doctor.
The young adults were positive in their outlook. Dalin Bega, an aspiring radio personality from Bothasig, said growing up in South Africa was a positive experience “besides the crime, but there’s crime everywhere”.
Young South Africans, it seems, are aware of the challenges faced when living in a young democracy, but remain optimistic about the country’s future, and their place in it.
IOL MOJO