Fatima Moosa is a journalist at The Daily Vox. Clotilde Angelucci is the communication strategist at Youth Capital. 

In an Instagram video, Kimberly Foster, one of the 2021 #YouTubeBlackVoicesFund grantees, said we need to be more intentional about not diminishing the views and work of young people. She reflects the dichotomy that exists in our culture when she says that “on the one hand, we’re obsessed with youth, but on the other hand, we’re obsessed with diminishing them, telling them they’re not real, telling them that they’re frivolous”.

Each year, we dedicate June to remember the young people of 1976 who played a determining role in changing South Africa’s sociopolitical landscape – it reminds us of the power of young people when they act as a collective. Today there are more than 20 million young people in South Africa. There is no reason they should not inform and influence the country’s policy agenda with their lived experiences of the many issues they face. But they still don’t hold a meaningful and consistent seat at the table where their voices are needed and where the important decisions are made.

#BeTheDrivingForce is a campaign developed by The Daily Vox and Youth Capital to inspire young people to raise their voices to ensure their experiences and solutions are at the forefront of South Africa’s political discourse. After identifying 10 pressing issues affecting young people, we asked activists to answer young people’s questions on how to amplify the impact of their actions. Their responses have been shared through weekly Instagram Lives and newsletters. The contributors include author Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, policy analyst Tessa Dooms, researcher Shaeera Kalla from #PayTheGrants and researcher Awande Buthelezi.  

In a country where 8.9 million young people are not in education, employment nor training, and where trust in government representatives is low, Youth Capital and The Daily Vox have seen that many young people haven’t stood idle. Many have stepped up and taken it upon themselves to find interim solutions to some of the issues facing them – by starting tutoring clubs in their communities, working alongside local governments, founding social enterprises, even launching YouTube channels.

And they’re also trying to change things at the national level. The number of young people who applied for the National Youth Development Agency board offers some evidence – and hope – that the new generation wants to lead the country into the future. But these motivated and resilient individuals often miss the spotlight in the media, and lack the network and knowledge to leverage platforms – such as social media or the press – to broaden their support and amplify the impact of their actions beyond the boundaries of their community.  

How can young people translate their hard work into political influence that shapes the national agenda?  

They can seek meaningful collaborations

When we asked Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh how young people can influence policy processes, he noted that currently the need for synergy is greater than the need for the formation of yet another organisation. With reference to the rich landscape of community-based organisations, Mpofu-Walsh invited change agents to “look for people who are already doing the work”; combining efforts and strengths would ensure a more effective management of resources while amplifying the voices and solutions of young people. 

They need to think local 

When it comes to policy participation, Dooms says there are many opportunities for young people to give input at the local level, and integrated development planning is crucial in this regard. This is an approach to planning that legally requires municipalities to work with their citizens to find the best solutions to achieve good long-term development. Getting involved at the local level also encourages young people, as citizens, to engage in consistent dialogues with their decision makers. There is a need for young people to not sit back and wait for opportunities to come to them, but to be bold and question those in structures of power. Young people must have the opportunities presented to them and where there are none, they must create their own.

There are no easy wins; solving deep-seated inequality and achieving a more equal society is a “multigenerational task”. With the likelihood of several challenges in their way, young people might not be the ones to see it through, but they definitely are the ones who start it. As we commemorate young people this month, remember that everyone in society has a role to play in advancing solutions and translating them into political influence. The alternative is too frightening to contemplate. DM/MC

Youth Capital is a youth-led advocacy campaign to reduce unemployment among young people. The Daily Vox is an independent media organisation that aims to put the young citizen at the centre of news.