What it means to be young in South Africa, in 2018, the current democratic dispensation...

The bad first and the good after to cover it all up with gratitude.

I am one of those coined the term born free today in South Africa. This means that I was born under democracy, after the historic event of the first election of the Republic of South Africa, the late Dr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the 27th of April 1994.

Being born in July 1996, after the adoption of the highly praised Constitution in the world, I have so much to say, so much to be grateful for, learn, do and grow.

Like 55.5% of the population of South Africans, according to Statistics South Africa 2015 survey, I was born in poverty. This however is what is pushing me to be the best that I can be. I did not choose this life. No one does. There was a 50-50 chance that I could have been born into the world of riches. I wasn’t. Does it mean that then my life will be of poverty for the rest of my life? Never in a million years!

Image Source STATS SA, 2015

In this piece I will be sharing what it means to be a South African today to me. For this to be in perspective, I start by looking a few years back. However, I can safely say that I couldn’t have wished to be born in another country. With that being said though, I won’t allow myself to become a country bound puppy.

Image Source Definitely what I am planning to do.

Today there are arguably lots of opportunities for us as young South Africans, especially the disadvantaged and previously disadvantaged. We now have human rights that are enshrined in the Constitution that allow us to access means of changing our lives. For instance, under Section 22 of the Bill Of Rights, South Africans have the freedom of trade, occupation and profession. Today though, we face a lot of limitations to access to these means. A lot of valid and invalid reasons may be attributed to this.

Image Source Inside the Highest Court On RSA Land.

This called on for instance the movement against exclusion of qualifying students from the higher education sector on merits of lack of financial backing, #FeesMustFall, which went on to fade off prematurely, I suggest because the society was not properly informed through traditional media.

Image Source What transpired at our campuses was most of the time distorted and poisoned the society against #FeesMustFall.

I was in Grade 12, when in 2015 students took to the streets. I suffered from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) back then as I was in class and not advancing for a just call, because I had heard of stories of people passing their Grade 12s with flying colours but still don’t get their deserved place in the system.

2015 passed, and in my first year in 2016, I managed to secure funding to study, from state-aided institutions, being National Students Financial Aid Scheme (a loan) and Gauteng City Region Academy (a partial bursary). I am very much grateful for this, even though at times I find myself complaining too much about being in debt (incompetent NSFAS Official alleviated my name to the credit bureau) and what not. In my second year I secured myself a bursary from a construction company, which I am also grateful for. In the past regime, I wouldn’t even get near university premises.

Image Source Time flies

The second round of #FMF as it was deemed by some came, and guess what? All the 2015 FOMO was quenched in the 2016 protests. I was committed to running for a cause that we are sure will change the lives of generations to come and that of South Africa. However, the first day really caught me off guard.

Image Source The sad reality faced by over half of the RSA Youth.

We were marching peacefully from the main campus in Braamfontein, towards another campus in Parktown. Suddenly, police began firing rubber bullets and stun grenades at citizens for exercising their right to protest as is stated under Section 17 of the Constitution, titled Assembly, demonstration, picket and petition, clearly saying that everyone has the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions. Students ticked every box. Retaliation from police brutality caused the just cause a disservice. Keep in mind that there was no choice.

That really fueled me to think about it when I look back. It gave me a strong sense of negative emotions towards police that I even opted to go for counselling post the demonstration. What killed me the most inside was how the hell did they not understand that this would benefit them as well? The fact that they are our parents just leveled things up. I was asking, how could they? It didn’t make sense back then, but it does now. That set the tone for the couple of weeks that followed.

According to some students I have engaged who were in the first round in 2015, most of them suggest that 2016 saw more police brutality on campus, our home, while others suggesting the 23rd October 2015 when they marched to the Union Buildings, to National Government to submit a memorandum being one where police brutality was on steroids.

This is proof that history does repeat itself. As we are in June, its called Youth Month because of the Soweto Student Uprising that saw lives of young people shed their blood against the order to teach all subjects in the colonizers language, Afrikaans. It must be noted that they did not fight for English. As in 19 September 2016, we see the same behavior as on the 16th June 1976, where the police opened fire to unarmed harmless beings standing up for their good, in their own land. Police aggravate the situations and turn them sour in almost every South African protests. In whose interest are they acting on?

The results of the #FMF receive mixed reactions. I remember how discouraging it was when students were demoralized at the way the state and university was approaching things and the arrest & hunting down of the leaders. At the end of it, the very government is now agreeing that funding the future and increasing access to tertiary sectors is a need. As it is, the NSFAS loan is said to be turned into a bursary. This though is for students who were studying grade 12 in 2017. These are good news in the right direction. We haven’t arrived.

What does not make sense now in what is happening with regards to the State persecuting the people who were in solidarity for a just course. How when murderers were let off through the process of Truth and Reconciliation Commission? I really don’t care whether they are guilty or not, what they did does not equal murder and certainly was not done for the self. Oh and also that they were not the only ones running the streets. Every student who was in #FMF protests must then face trial. I am also echoing the call for President Ramaphosa to grant these activists Presidential Pardons, and every student continues studying.

Image Source Fee percentage hikes strangle poor deserving students.

With all that being said as far as #FeesMustFall, I am quite proud of my generation for diagnosing a societal miscarriage and taking action. This shows that there is a considerable amount of potential in each and every one of us. I also send strength to every ground soldier who is being terrorized by the system even to this day.

Due to the length of this piece, I have decided to cut it in half and the second part will follow soon.

To be Continued...

[Steemit Original]

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