[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE PREMIER OF GAUTENG, ADV M MOTSHEKGA, AT THE SASCO MEETING - UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, 2 MARCH 1999

"TOMORROW BELONGS TO YOU"

SALUTATIONS

COMRADE Chairperson, Leaders of Tomorrow:
I always feel a little inferior when confronted by such a mass of learning and knowledge all around me. Maybe it is because I am not young enough anymore to know everything!
On the other hand, the intolerance of young students is quite charming and should not be waved away by the impatient hand of an older person. It is the questioning person that goes far in life. Our society, more than any other, needs enquiring minds who don't simply agree to everything the older generation tells them.
It is right that today's youth question the present, because that will prepare them for the path of the future. It is they who have to travel that path, because tomorrow belongs to the young.
The task of my generation, is to light the beacons for you.

INTRODUCTION

For five years now we have joined the march with the rest of the world; still, our destiny remains in our own hands.
The struggle is not over: the youth must be prepared for difficult challenges and battles that still await us on the road to democratic prosperity. Ahead of us there still lies that noble goal of creating the South African society that is envisaged in the Freedom Charter.
Today we are grappling with the real and practical programmes designed to institute a social, political, economic and constitutional order which will result in the realisation of that dream.
We have set in motion a process with the aim to build the unity of our people as well as to consolidate the unity and integrity of the country. Never again will race and gender be an obstacle to political and economic fulfilment of the individual or the attainment of the legitimate aspirations of any social group.
At the acceptance of his Nobel Peace Price thirty eight years ago, Chief Albert Luthuli said:
"... let me invite Africa to cast her eyes ... and see herself as an emerging continent, bursting to freedom through the shell of centuries of serfdom. This is Africa's age-the dawn of her fulfilment; yes the moment when she must grapple with destiny to reach the summits of sublimity, saying ours was a fight for noble values and worthy ends.
"Africa is a vital subject matter in the world of today, a focal point of world interest and concern. Could it not be that history has delayed her rebirth for purpose? The situation confronts her with inescapable challenges, but, more importantly, with opportunities for service to herself and mankind. She evades the challenges and neglects the opportunities to her shame if not her doom".
Already 38 years ago, Chief Luthuli was talking about "rebirth", a renascence. He predicted lots of challenges and even more opportunities, but, warned us that if we run away from our Africanness - we might even be the cause of Africa's demise.

THE DUTY OF THE YOUTH

The new democratic South Africa not only affords us unprecedented freedom, but also burdens us with unprecedented responsibilities. The African Renaissance relies heavily on the contribution of the young people to restore Africa's honour.
SASCO must continue to craft a vision of how our society should prepare its younger generations to be worthy citizens of our country and the world. The leaders of tomorrow must continue to build a glorious future tailored to the needs of the greatest number of the people.
SASCO should continuously solicit the views of the youth of South Africa on the way in which the democratic government should ensure effective youth participation in governance, youth empowerment and youth development.
There are a few key elements which will invariably cast large shadows over any deliberation on the empowerment of the youth.
The fundamental point to remember, is that SASCO's policy formulation and implementation should, in both a practical and a philosophical sense, have the idea of the people at the centre of its agenda. The Programme of Reconstruction and Development is correct when it states that the task of transformation should be people-driven and people-centred.
Our youth policy cannot avoid dealing with the legacy of our past, even as we work hard at building our future. Our present life is scarred a thousand times by our dreaded past. Your policy formulation and implementation will have to recognise the legacy we have inherited from many decades of Apartheid rule.
So one of the main thrusts of our policy cannot overlook the reality that the main content of change in the current phase remains the elimination of all forms of disparity which were created on the bases of race, ethnicity, gender as well as the divide between rural and urban life.
An important point to be made is that South Africa is progressively and increasingly becoming a youthful country. Rapid changes in science, information technology and social evolution necessitate a new paradigm of human existence.
Our policies will have to be flexible enough to accommodate these ebbs and flows in social motion. A good youth policy helps to prepare young people to be worthy citizens of the country and the world. In this sense it is correct to say that our policy helps to build, not just the young, but the nation as well.
So we should not miss the never-ending relationship of the young feeding into the old-a continuous movement forward. The wisdom of this relationship is best captured in the ancient philosophy of the Native Americans who say:
"We do not inherit our world from our parents, we borrow it from our young people."

THE DUTY OF GOVERNMENT

Now that I have outlined what is expected of the young people, it is only fair that you should ask me what government's side of the contract is.
The attainment and sustainability of our policy objectives depend, to a large measure, on our ability to make our economy work and integrate with the economies of the world.
The programme aimed at the modernisation of our economic life must place the education and training of young people at the forefront of that modernisation strategy. The bulk of the new entrants into the production of the economy are drawn from this constituency.
All available evidence indicate that the section of our society most affected by the spread of HIV/AIDS is the youth. Latest statistics puts the figure at 25% infection rate in some of the areas in the country. This alarming rate further underlies the importance of a clear policy strategy geared at combating the spread of the epidemic.
A similar emphasis should be placed on the need to combat all forms of crime, the spread of substance abuse, the scourge of rape and child molestation as well as the general prevalence of moral degeneracy in our society.
To all of what I have now mentioned, government is applying its attention - all in the belief that we owe it to our children to clear the road to a prosperous and happy future.

YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER

The obvious solution to the creation of a prosperous democracy that will benefit us all, is of course, if organisations such as SASCO, work hand in glove with government - not only in shaping policy, but through practical involvement.
The very concept of popular participation in the formulation and implementation of policy, finds real meaning if organisations of civil society play an important role.
SASCO must pose a question to it's members: What characteristics of the youth set them apart from the other generations? You might answer: our energy and creativity.
If it is so, another question arises: in what way does the youth unleash this energy and creativity for the good of society as a whole?
For instance, how many of us here today, have volunteered to conduct adult literacy classes in rural communities around your institutions. What has become of the energy and the creativity?
As we toi-toi in demand of expanded bursary schemes, we should at times pause, and remember that society carries a responsibility to fund both adult and pre-school education. We should, at times pause and ask ourselves what our contribution should be in the education of our own parents.
The opportunities are endless for the youth and its organisations such as SASCO, to become active partners in the process of caring for a wonderful country.

CONCLUSION

We are ten months away from the turn of the century and the beginning of another millennium. Few generations are ever presented with the opportunity to observe the arrival of a new century, let alone a millennium.
The question is; what do we plan to do with this historical opportunity? Are we going to let it slip away or are we going to become active co-owners of democracy?
In a way the democratic elections of April 27, 1994 represent a human achievement which goes far beyond our understanding. Students of history will refer to this date as the day that marked the end of the process of decolonisation of the Africa peoples. Let us not belittle this great achievement by not voting in the coming election.
Yes, the future does belong to you, but it can only BE yours, if you take an active part in it. So, register this weekend so that you can vote in three month's time. Do not allow the gates to YOUR future to slam shut in front of your very own eyes!

<EOD>