Auditing the nation - the youth are exhausted and need action, now

The South African government has given us the 2023 theme for youth month: Accelerating youth economic emancipation for a sustainable future - but that sounds like all fur coats and no knickers.

What's stopping you from making your dreams come true? This is something we have thought about this youth month. The president has come with his promises of uplifting the youth, as our unemployment rate has raised concerns about all the other issues that come with being South African.

The odds are truly stacked against young people in South Africa.

After the first quarter, the unemployment rate sits at 32.9%, placing us second in the world, just behind Nigeria. 

We are exhausted before we have even started our lives. I was prepared for my 20s to be an uphill battle, but you can't come up when a system is designed to keep you down. The voice is there, but what only matters is who it is coming from. We are supposed to be a nation of equality, rights, freedom, and individual autonomy.

We think we have all this list to protect us, but it's just a shadow to shield authorities from when the bomb explodes and exposes them. Many activism groups and community upliftment programmes have popped up without government intervention to remedy these issues. Why do we need these platforms? We supposedly have official ones created a long time ago. I know it's my voice when I can make my own decisions.

But that fades away when the responsibilities take place and government rules. It is my voice when I can control all narratives and obstacles. It is my voice when I can see the end product of my vision.

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1. Mental Health 

It is difficult to access treatment for mental health concerns - our health care system makes it hard to get panado, let alone access psychiatrists and therapy. In 2022, South Africa ranked among the worst in the world when it comes to our mental health.

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2. The Environment

What kind of future has been left for us? When it comes to climate change, Many scientists have argued that we are close to a point of no return because there have been no meaningful changes. Heck, there is evidence of microplastics being found in our blood.

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3. Governance

I don't have to go into detail about this. We have often covered the issues of South Africa and its politics on this blog. A future with weak, self-interested leadership isn't going to solve any issues that have been carried over from past leadership. Inheriting problems and fixing them is all part and parcel of being a human - It's like your father giving you the family heirloom vase with a few cracks. The expectation is that you take the time to fix some of those cracks. But the more we look at it, the youth will be left with mere pieces, and no hope.

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It is also important to note that the average age of the cabinet of ministers is 61 years old. Evidently, decisions aren't made with the interest of the youth in mind - they aren't even in the room 

4. The Economy 

The government reported a 0.4% economic growth in March of this year. Great news, BUT...

This slow growth has kept the nation unemployed, hungry and, most importantly, angry.

If you improve this country for all, the youth can take the baton and make it a better future.

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