16 June 1976 | 16 June 2013

Writing this blog post is frustrating. I know exactly what I want to say but trying to convert these hyperactive feelings into something understandable is harder than I thought it would be.

So I assume all South African’s know that even though yesterday was technically Youth day we find ourselves celebrating it today with Father’s day somewhat taking preference yesterday. To those who don’t know what Youth day is, it is basically the celebration and commemoration of the hundreds and thousands of non-white students who marched to Orlando Stadium in Soweto to protest against unfair education policies being implemented targeting non-white students doing Apartheid. These students were targeted by the police and shot, killed and injured but this was a risk they were willing to face.

Imagine. Imagine not only the atmosphere of excitement and passion of those students as they marched down those streets. But imagine the fear that today could very well be their last. Knowing that when they said bye to their parents that morning it could be the last time they ever saw them and this act of marching could be the very last thing they ever did. Could you even try and comprehend the mind-set those students had as they faced their greatest fears? But their passion, dignity and conviction is what gave them the drive to carry on despite their inevitable fears.

Recently my friend Dain Sisam has been tweeting thought provoking tweets to say the least and when he and his friends began their “Conformists” movement I could not help but be inspired, motivated and somewhat embarrassed. As the youth we’ve taken the backseat to any and everything happening in our country and after our tediously enormous amount of whining, complaining and blaming each and every one of our problems on the government we do absolutely nothing about it. I actually feel like laughing at how pathetic it sounds but then I realise that I am part of this generation and guess what? This generalisation of what the youth is complies to me as well. Because one day when people look back on what our generation did or did not accomplish they won’t refer to it as the generation excluding Zina. No, my name will be lost in the sea of thousands who all fall under the title of “their generation”.

It is time for us as youth to make the sacrifices required for the changes that we feel the need to be made. No longer should we be the youth that complains and waits for something to happen but instead we should be voices of reason. A strong and steadfast generation who knows exactly what we want and who are willing to stand up for what we deserve. We should be protesting for education and change but at the same time we need to realise the consequences of what we are asking for. If we going to ask for an equal education it is expected that we fill up those classrooms and put an effort into learning. If we going to ask to ask for change it is up to us to embrace the change.

Being part of the youth of South Africa is a privilege. We are granted the opportunity to mould South Africa into the land that we want as leaders of this country. It’s time for us to take a stand and demand that we be respected and that our voices are heard across this country. We need to unite and as a generation we need to be so much more. 

Because NOW, is the time for us

* Dain's blog : Dain You and Me

This photo was found on twitter. Uploaded by Equal Education it shows as students marched across the Nelson Mandela bridge to celebrate youth day

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