To be young, free and without a care in SA

It would seem the historical significance of June 16 is fast fading away. I am not too sure if the dawn of freedom and democracy in 1994 contributed to the prevalent negative meaning of the day that supposedly changed the course of history. I guess we all know that the attainment of freedom can make people complacent. They expect government to do everything while they are busy partying or whining.

If you think about it, children who were born in 1976 are 32 years old today. They are men and women who are in their prime; mothers and fathers who are desperately trying to make things happen for their immediate families. They do not have much consideration for what amounts to a “national agenda”.

Generally speaking, if they are not unemployed or dying from Aids, they are people who are preoccupied with “making it”. To a large extent, for them success and achievement means big money in the bank, a plush home — preferably away from rural or township squalor — and a posh car.

You can add to that combination English as a medium of communication and children at multiracial, expensive schools. That today is what epitomises success and achievement for the babes born in 1976.

I am not too sure that they are a generation of great maturity. I would dare say that they lack substance. They do not exactly know or understand what life is all about.

The last 32 years have deprived us of the brilliant young leaders who should be carrying the mantle of Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and Robert Sobukwe.

I find it difficult to find young men and women, especially from the African community, who are making immeasurable contributions to the present and future of this country, continent and world. This is really sad.

I do not want to concern myself with movers and shakers, the sheltered, those employed in government and other corporate tokens. They know how to take care of themselves. What I am looking for are young, gifted, highly conscientised young people who are committed to the ideals of justice, equality and brotherhood.

I was reminded of this when I asked a 30-something-year-old acquaintance about how they planned to observe the 32nd anniversary of June 16, 1976.

Now, when I tried to reflect on what that day truly meant, I realised that the significance and memory of what had happened or what was represented was fading fast. Here was a bright, articulate and intelligent young person who had no clue about why they should mark the day. People like them would rather go shopping, watch a movie or host braais and parties at their homes. It is not like one wants to be prescriptive about how people spend their leisure time, as June 16 has come to be known.

But what happened on that day was extraordinary when one considers that it was 14-year-olds who dared to stand up to the mightiest military power in Africa.

But that was 32 years ago. Now one is tempted to ask: What happened to those courageous boys and girls who are now men and women in their 40s and 50s?

This very question illustrates how African leadership loses its way.

If you understand me correctly, the 32-year-olds of today are the offspring of “the children of 1976”. Their parents should have provided the guidance and leadership that would give meaning and relevance to June 16. Of course, there should be books, plays, dance and music that carry this history and heritage.

Well, I am well aware of the government-sponsored programmes that take place every year. My concern here is: what are the 32-year-olds doing to commemorate the day? All that we see at government events are far-too-young people, veterans of the struggle and other aged people.

But when I look around South Africa today, I see that people have essentially forgotten where they come from and about the high price that was paid in blood, sweat and tears to get us where we are.

There is an urgent need for today’s 30-somethings to take stock of who they are.

It is time for our young people to think hard about how they got to enjoy freedom and democracy.

We may be in hard times filled with unemployment, poverty, Aids and ignorance, but we can no longer afford the self-indulgence that sees the youth blindly pursuing only money, cars and houses.

As we confront the bleakness of a depoliticised environment, we have to ask ourselves how our young lost their way.

This has happened at a time when Mandela is still alive and all our leaders have returned from exile and from Robben Island. It is a serious indictment of our society that many of their children and grandchildren do not seem to appreciate the true significance of June 16. If freedom and democracy means forgetting my history and heritage, then take me back to Egypt.