Liam Jacobs rises as a bold young voice in South African politics
At just 24 years old, Liam Jacobs has emerged as one of the youngest and most determined voices in South Africa's political landscape.
Known for his strong stance on accountability and his growing influence in parliamentary oversight, Jacobs recently drew attention for flagging financial discrepancies in Netball South Africa's record.
His journey from student activist to the national stage reflects a steady climb rooted in community, conviction and a commitment to change.
Speaking to Saturday Star, he recalls his early fascination with politics, which dates back to his youth in Kimberley, Northern Cape, where he hails from.
Growing up in a province which Jacobs says is often overlooked during national discussions, he developed a keen awareness of the socio-political challenges.
'When you have that understanding of where I come from, the biggest province with the smallest population. One of the provinces that is often neglected when we have national discussions. You start to get an understanding of what informs how I look into the world and the political world. Being born into such a society and being born into such an area made me realise that one of the things that I want to do is to leave my corner of the world in a better place.
"And as I got older, one of the things I learnt was that it is impossible to change the whole world, but it is possible to change your side of the world.
"My goal is to leave behind a better South Africa, the one that I was born into fundamentally. That is, in a nutshell, my motivation for why I am in politics.'
The young politician reveals that his journey into politics did not happen overnight, as his foray into activism began during his years as a student leader at the University of Pretoria, where he also fiercely championed student rights, notably taking on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in a bid to improve conditions for students. His grassroots activism laid the foundation for his political ambitions.
With a presence on social media dating back to 2016, he also began producing political content on TikTok in 2021, quickly gaining traction for his insights into current affairs. 'I did it every single day for two years. This was the kind of content that ultimately culminated in my election into parliament,' Jacobs explains.
The transition from content creator to Member of Parliament was seamless for Jacobs, who uses his platform as a tool for political engagement.
Now serving as the deputy spokesperson for sports, arts and culture in the Democratic Alliance (DA), Jacobs reflects on his role in Parliament, he reveals his commitment to transparency and accountability.
'I say it as a joke sometimes. I think corruption is one of the biggest problems in South Africa. If I were to be elected into any position where I could essentially eradicate that for my first year, you know, in whatever office, maybe I would just stay there and eradicate corruption.
'I think it should not just be an investigation by name, but there should be actual consequences, and the way to pursue actual consequences is actually going to legal authorities to report suspicion of corruption. To report corruption where we find it. That is why I post every single thing that I do in Parliament because I believe that we cannot drive darkness out by being in the dark. We can only drive it out by being in the light,' he says.
Looking towards the future, Jacobs is steadfast in his aspirations. 'I will continue to expose what I think is corruption. If you are talking about my long-term prospects, I made it no secret on social media that the future is quite long and that my desire since finding out about politics at 8 years old. I continue to lead a better tomorrow, and that is not for now; that is for the future.'
Saturday Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
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