IN a bold move that echoed the defiance of the 1976 generation, a coalition of youth activists marched to Orlando Stadium yesterday to present an 11-point Youth Manifesto.
The march, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, was organised by several grassroots movements who are fed up with the status quo. Carrying banners and singing struggle songs the group of young people were determined to make their voices heard.
The manifesto outlines eleven critical demands aimed at addressing the systemic issues plaguing South Africa’s youth.
At the top of the list is a demand for a basic income grant specifically for unemployed youth. The activists argue that the current social relief of distress grant is simply not enough to accommodate the rising cost of living.
“We cannot survive on R350 a month, it is an insult to our dignity,” said march leader Thando Kubheka.
Other key demands in the manifesto includes the scrapping of experience requirements for entry-level jobs, free higher education, and state-owned youth enterprises.
The group also called for stricter quotas to ensure that private companies employ young people. Marching through the historic streets, onlookers cheered as the youth demanded immediate action from the Presidency.
- When the group arrived at the stadium, they handed the document over to a representative from the President’s office. They warned that if their demands are ignored, they will mobilise for a nationwide shutdown.
- “We are definitely not going to back down,” Kubheka told reporters outside.
- The youth are losing patience, and they are no longer willing to wait quietly.
