For Youth Day we asked first-year journalism students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to write for us.
Here's what Ryan de Villiers had to say:
Forty-three years ago, the youth of South Africa had to deal with oppression, discrimination, overwhelming violence, poverty and abuse. The youth fought back against the apartheid regime and helped usher in a new united nation. It's 2019 and the world has changed so much since the days of apartheid. The youth of South Africa face completely different challenges and problems.
The youth might not be oppressed because of the colour of their skin but we still face our own set of problems. we might not be fighting against a racist government, but we are fighting against organisations that want to destroy our planet. We don’t have to drop out of school at the age of 13
to get a job to provide for our families but that doesn’t mean that a lot of the youth of today can finish school.
When walking around 43 years ago the youth had to worry about the police but nowadays little girls get kidnapped or raped. Drugs and poverty rule the streets and it's so easy for the youth to get caught in the trap. The youth can’t afford houses or decent healthcare.
Every day the youth must face the consequences of the older generation's actions.
The youth of today face so many problems that range from abuse to gangsterism to rape and murder.
We might not be facing an apartheid government, but we are facing obstacles and problems that rival what the youth of 43 years ago went through.
* Speak up like the youth of ‘76 by tweeting your opinions and challenges to the new @GovernmentZA's Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: Minister Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane using #speakup76 @IOL or write to IOL at [email protected]