Pretoria - The high cost of fuel, youth unemployment and the relentless load shedding has prompted a group of young people to march to the Union Buildings to call for urgent intervention.
The Cope Youth Movement took to the streets of Pretoria yesterday, adorned in Cope youth regalia, and carried the party’s banners.
The group called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government to start turning things around or watch the country plunge deeper below poverty lines.
It was escorted by Cope senior leaders such as Dennis Bloem, who said people had been saying the party did not have youth, but its young people came out to show that they were not happy with the country's status quo.
The group said it was extremely concerned and angry about the effects of the high youth unemployment rate which had reached crisis proportions.
“This is as a result of the ANC government’s lack of vision to create jobs, establish young entrepreneurs, and economic development that is thriving.
“The youth of South Africa finishes school, only to be reduced to loitering with nothing to do, no skills development activities in our locations, towns, and villages, resulting in the youth engaging in crime, substance abuse, and even suffering mental health issues where some resort to suicide because they can no longer take the hardships of not having a job,” it said.
The group that to add to the pain of the unemployment rate were the “disgustingly” high fuel prices which made life more difficult for the youth to look for employment because taxi and bus fares, food and the general cost of living had increased.
In the memorandum, Bloem said: “The Cope Youth Movement was also extremely angry at the ANC government with its brazen disrespect of South Africans where load shedding has become literally the order of the day.
“The load shedding crisis is a total disruption of life. It directly affects the future of the youth, and it further destroys the already struggling economy, and threatens more businesses and factories to close their doors.”
Thabang Ngwenya, 23, from Whiteville said: “We are unemployed and we do not have the support of our government so we could find our own independence and take control of our future. We also want safe living spaces. We want a police station where we live.”
Susang Motau, 24, from Atteridgeville, said she joined the march because she wanted to be counted among the young people who want change in the country and are willing to do something about it instead of just complaining while sitting at home.
Kabelo Modika, 23, from Whiteville said: “We are crying because the cost of living has become very high. We struggle just for the bare minimum. We pray and hope our actions will encourage our leaders to bring real and effective change.”
Pretoria News