Limpopo - A number of disgruntled youth from Spookpark near Seshego, have vowed not to vote in this year’s local government elections as they see no value in doing so.
According to the youth in the area, they have lost hope.
A young person who spoke to the IOL news team in the area maintained he was simply not interested in voting, adding with the R350 grant unemployment grant, had is only able to purchase meagre items such as maize meal vegetables, fish oil - adding at times there is hardly anything left to purchase electricity.
“This money is not enough at least if it was R500, that would make a difference,” said the young man who asked no to be named.
He added: “I have no business in voting it is not doing anything for me and my peers. All that politicians know is to come here and campaign during election time but they don’t have our interests at heard. This voting thing is a huge problem. I have tried to look for a job ever since I finished school but no luck,” he said.
Another youth maintained there were no improvements in their area instead things have been deteriorating.
“As we speak to you, our area lacks a number or services, we have water shortage, we don’t have tar-roads and unemployment especially in youth is sky high in our community. We live a life of hustling, that is the only way we survive,” he said.
Another went as far praising the apartheid government.
“During apartheid, people were working and they had services and we are lacking all those under the ANC. Under the ANC, we are suffering. I will not even vote for another political party because they too will also lie to us just to be in government,” said the disgruntled youth.
Four more young people who wanted to remain anonymous said because they are unemployed, they have had to use donkey-carts to collect firewood and water.
They also indicated that at times, they deal with police who arrest them alleging they they are thugs.
They say in the township police don’t want donkey-carts.
“We are not criminals but hustling to make a living to take care of our families.
Andrew Mashao, 57, who is lives with a disability also expressed concern at the high rate of unemployment and corruption that is currently at play.
“I am going to vote for a part that is for people living with disabilities. The current government is corrupt,” Mashao said.
According to Stats SA, the unemployment rate as per the expanded definition of unemployment increased by 0.6 of a percentage points to 43.2% in the first quarter of 2021.
The official unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 34 was 46.3% in first quarter of the year.