by Bruce Montiea | May 19, 2011 | News
THE municipal elections have come and gone. One group of students will not be holding their breath in anticipation of a change in the status quo.
Blackwash Wits is a black consciousness movement whose aim is to make black students aware of what they call “the inequalities that still prevail”.
For the past few weeks they have been busy with campaigns on campus aimed at encouraging black students to shun the polls.
They believe the elections will not do anything to change the plight of the black students, and therefore taking part in them would be a waste of time.
Lubabalo Mgwili, a member of the working committee, says “we are challenging the whole concept of voting. No party is capable of effecting any meaningful change for blacks.”.
He says the problem the parties face is that whoever is in power find themselves having to work within the same constitutional and legal framework that limits black advancement.
The framework advances white interests and has always been like that, since 1994 when the country attained freedom, he says .
“We cannot celebrate the right to vote, when it is derived from the same constitution Constitution that protects stolen wealth.”
Hlompho Sephaka, a 4th year engineering student, says the organisation is regressive and their attitude does not help build the country.
“Who still holds views like that? Hello! Its 2011!” she says.
Mutombo Lubombo, a masters student in geography, says he understands where the organisation comes from.
“I am not South African, but I have lived here long enough to notice that this democracy is not benefiting the blacks at all…what have all the other elections done?” he asks.
When Mgwili was asked for his opinion on the statement Julius Malema made, to the effect that whites are criminals because they stole black peoples’ land, his response was:
“Malema practicses double standards, and he is a hypocrite. He belongs to the same party that is taking so long to give blacks back their land, but he thinks he can say something like that in public. This is just electioneering.”
by Natalia Ribeiro | May 19, 2011 | News
Youngsters are losing faith in South African politics, the Youth Trax research has revealed.
The study, carried out by the Youth Dynamix (YDx) reaserch group, revealed that 64% of youngsters between 16 and 29 years old believe politics is not important.
Among the same age group, it was also found that 89% think the South African government has failed to keep its promises.
Boitumelo Mhlongo, a 2nd year BA student, said she is “not into South African politics” and wouldn’t vote in Wednesday’s municipal elections because “it’s stupid” and “they do nothing for no one”.
“They always make promises and nothing ever gets done. All you see is pretty people saying things to you and then you vote. That is money in their pockets and you are left hungry, poor and with no water for a whole month,” she said.
She added that it doesn’t matter which party is in power because “none of these people have done anything”.
The study measured attitudes towards politics and the government, and 1800 respondents between 13 and 29 years old were polled.
Nqobizitha Ngulube, a 1st year BA law student, said: “Now it’s all about revenge [in South African politics], not about the development of the country.”
High levels of unemployment was one of the main reasons for the “loss of hope” in the country, according to the research.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey, a study published at the beginning of the month by Statistics South Africa, showed that “among those who were unemployed [between January and March 2011], approximately 1.9-million were new entrants into the labour market, which is 43,4% of the unemployed”.
Compared to a year ago, “the number of [unemployed] new entrants increased by 81000”. This number of people could almost fill FNB Stadium (Soccer City).
Dropping education standards and escalating crime were other reasons mentioned by youngsters in the YDx study.
The research also revealed that 40% of young people between 16 and 29 years old intend leaving the country, although they claimed to be “proudly South African”.
First year civil engineering student Muhammad Chothia said he is “definitely proud of being South African”.
“I intend to work overseas but come back and settle down here”. He said he is part of the youngsters who still have faith in the government.
