Do we still have a chance?

The series of stories ran by an eminent Sunday newspaper City Press, under the section, "Jobs and the young", has in more ways not just exposed us to the brutal truth we are currently facing but also reminds us of our responsibility in this crisis. We are educated, jobless, broke, frustrated, despondent and on our own. This leaves us with few options, to look up to our leaders or getting things done ourselves. The former option seems to enjoy more attention. Is it working? It might help us to explore this question.

The thinking that our leaders will save us has to be questioned because it has been proven time and again that our crisis doesn’t enjoy much attention and support given that it isn’t accompanied by an obsession to see results. The energy and enthusiasm displayed by these leaders on other matters they believe are of importance like The Spear and the Protection of Information Bill can only be a dream to us in solving our situation. We need action.

South Africa is at a stage where good news seems to elude us and those who have always believed this nation is destined for doom feel vindicated. They are pointing out at what they call proof or evidence like our job crisis, corruption, collapsing education system, leadership battles, the continuous downgrading of our economic prospects by rating agencies, floundering Happy Planet Index, Peace Index and many more. Listening to these people, whom we can’t entirely dismiss, as some are concerned citizen driven by the love for their country, can be discouraging pushing one to conclude "things are bad". There’s got to be a way.

However we may feel, justifiably or not, we must guard ourselves against the any attempt to dismiss our country as a place of hopelessness where dreams never come true. We need to also be able to interrogate those noises that can be categorised as pessimistic to figure out if the picture they’re painting if in anyway limits us in reaching our goals. If it does, what is it that we need to do on our own to make better lives for ourselves? This is critical. South Africa, unfortunately, from politicians to media to activists – they still sell to us a culture of expectancy. This can never be dismissed as wrong as it is the duty of the government to take care of its citizen but to hang on it and depend on it is a mistake. Sometimes we seem like we can’t move up until someone holds us by the hand. We need to move away from what Dr. Reuel Khoza in his book, "Attuned Leadership", calls "lacking a sense of efficacy – when people consider themselves subject to anything but their own ability to master the situation" This is for our own good. We need new thinking.

Sometimes we don’t have to know everything in order for us to change our lives for the better but we need to know why. It’s not a pre-requisite for our success to be well versed in policies, charters, local councillors, manifestos to be able to "make" it in this world. Anyone who sells these ideas as our only way out is definitely selling limitation and should be carefully watched. Having said that, turning a blind eye on these can be tantamount to ignorance and this is the worst time to parade ignorance. We can’t afford it. 　It has been proven that inspiration has an ability to move people and inspired individuals are able to deliver breakthroughs because they are driven by something within. Circumstances have always been there and will always be here and we have to find ways to rise above. We have to ask how the 25 year old Stuart Ntlathi established his very successful and award winning science and technology centre, the Stuart Ntlathi Science, Engineering & Technology Institute (SNSETinstitute) while surrounded by everything that exemplifies a hopeless township in the hometown of Klerksdorp. What drove successful curator Churchill Madikida, straight out of prison (for committing crime) to pack his bags for Joburg, sleeping in Park Station for days just to have a chance to register for Arts studies. Madikida is now successful and working on establishing a prestigious arts school in his hometown of Butterworth. Successful writer and lecturer Professor Zakes Mda touches on this is his memoirs "Sometimes there’s void" on how in his younger days with two Masters degrees had to accept a teaching post in a rural mountain high school somewhere in Lesotho. Would we have courage today to do that?

We cannot wait any longer for a leader or saviour to salvage our situation. Our backgrounds, families, townships, state of economy can never be an excuse and we have to realise our situation is not unique. Taking this step or attitude doesn’t mean we become ignorant of what government has to deliver for us. We still need to demand a conducive environment for us to thrive. To demand visionary leadership and coherent polices. To demand accountability, action and integration in some of the most critical areas of our economy. We must be resolute in our walk and stay inspired. In his article, "Let our people thrive in pride", entrepreneur and author Muzi Kuzwayo wrote "an inspired youth does not have to be woken up in the morning and told what to do. Armed with naivety and youthful exuberance youngsters are able to do what the experts call impossible, because they do not know the mental barriers that inhibit progress".

Chuma Kave is a Radio Producer and co-compiler of the book "A New Uprising – Limitless Youth –Stories to inspire, motivate and put you into action" to be released soon.　

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