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IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
A long walk to economic freedom for the youth
On June 16, 1976, thousands of students in Soweto took to the streets to demonstrate against Bantu Education and the imposition of Afrikaans in their schools. When the youth protested on June 16, they did so with clarity, conviction, and courage. Their mission was not only to fight against the indignity of being taught in Afrikaans but to stand up against the injustice of apartheid, says the writer. Image: Mike MIZLENI / AFP Kim Heller The most appropriate homage to the 1976 generation of young activists would be for the youth of today to take up the revolutionary baton and complete the race for total liberation in South Africa. This will require a focused and resolute vision and purpose, coupled with the spirit of fierce commitment to freedom and justice demonstrated by the youth in South Africa in June 1976. When the youth protested on 16 June 1976, they did so with clarity, conviction, and courage. Their mission was not only to fight against the indignity of being taught in Afrikaans but to stand up against the injustice of apartheid, which brutally crushed the hopes and dreams of African people. They nobly fulfilled their generational mission. While political democracy has dawned in South Africa, the youth of today, the Born Frees, are yet to find their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Instead, caught in the stillbirth of economic liberation, they are at risk of becoming a lost generation. Rather than building on the solid foundation of the struggles of yesteryear and being the architects of a more prosperous tomorrow for future generations, today's youth are caught in the ruins of historical injustice and inequality. Wandering like waifs along a deserted path, hopeless and hapless. The picture is gloomy. There are well over three million unemployed young South Africans. The education system is failing miserably in addressing systemic imbalances. Government job creation is limited and ineffective. Universities are graduating students who cannot find jobs. That nearly half of all South Africans aged between 15 and 24 are jobless should be a red flag for the government. Deficient governance and the debauchery of politicians plundering public funds for youth and social development programmes established a bankrupt leadership ethos which misdirects the youth. Youth innovation and industry are vital if young South Africans are to prosper. The idea is for the youth to jump-start themselves, but this is unrealistic given the economic constraints and marginalisation of the majority of young people in South Africa. High levels of government and business investment are necessary. So, too, is the correct leadership blueprint. Youth development cannot flourish on an inkwell of corruption or the poisoned pen of seriously compromised political and business leaders. A 2023 study by the Human Sciences Research Council showed that twenty-three per cent of young South Africans believed that hard work is the best route to better financial status, while forty-nine per cent felt that having political connections was a more effective pathway to prosperity. Ongoing systemic negligence by the ANC government has produced a despondent, largely paralysed youth stuck in a wheel of dependency on paltry government handouts. Mental health issues are skyrocketing, with suicide being the fourth highest leading cause of death among 15-24-year-olds. Government handouts need to be replaced, or at least strongly supplemented by a sturdy undercarriage of sustainable public and private sector investment. The Presidency should be obsessed daily with a high target, strictly monitored youth development and empowerment programme, which includes sustainable job creation and start-up youth business hubs across the nation. Anything less is a betrayal of the youth. Social grant safety nets have become a cage, feeding dependency. In the serial failure of government promises, the youth of today will need to look to themselves for salvation. It is a risky business for many. Research conducted by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in 2024 found that South Africa's youth were highly risk-averse, with 62% citing fear of failure as a barrier to starting businesses. Dr Frantz Fanon wrote that "each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it." He stresses the need for the youth to seize its moment. On June 16, 1976, young African children seized the moment, in the very worst of conditions, and overcame them. The potential of today's youth to inspire change is immense despite their difficult circumstances. The world bore witness to the unity of the Kenyan youth against the Finance Bill in 2024, which led to a review of government policy. The Nigerian youth protests in 2024 drew world attention and condemnation of police brutality in the nation. Young Sudanese activists have been very vocal and effective in their fight for human rights and good governance. In many African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, youth-led digital enterprises are increasing financial inclusion and greater access to education and are beginning to activate new production and distribution value chains. An attitude of self-betterment and self-liberation is the redemption song of today's youth. Despair is not a strategy, and noise-making without a coordinated voice is ineffective. Purpose is prince and unity is king. This was aptly demonstrated by the 2024 Kenyan protestors, the children of 1976 in apartheid South Africa, and the Fees Must Fall movement in post-apartheid South Africa. A coordinated youth programme is urgently needed to compel the government and businesses to take the plight of young South Africans more seriously. So, too, is a national campaign to self-drive and self-direct youth-driven projects. The youth of South Africa constitute almost 35 per cent of the overall population. They have the right and responsibility to shape the nation's future. It can be done. Nothing is impossible. In the words of Muhammad Ali, "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it." * Kim Heller is a political analyst and author of No White Lies: Black Politics and White Power in South Africa. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
Daily Maverick
22-05-2025
- Daily Maverick
Rural nonprofit boosts fight against gender-based violence and femicide scourge in Eastern Cape
An organisation that primarily focuses on farming as a means to food security and upskilling has had to add the fight against gender-based violence because of its prevalence in rural communities. One in three South African women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence, while one in five has faced sexual abuse. And a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) report has revealed that 33.1% of women aged 18 and older have endured physical violence in their lifetime Deputy President Paul Mashatile has joined the chorus of those condemning 'the inhumane treatment of victims', referring to one recent case in particular that shocked the country, involving a seven-year-old girl from Matatiele, known as 'Cwecwe'. Asanda Nginase is a project officer with the Border Rural Committee based in East London. It's a rural development nonprofit but has found an ever-greater need to include gender-based violence-sensitive programmes due to the scourge in the communities with which they work. She started in the organisation's admin department 16 years ago, but says the calling to work with communities was always there. 'I always had the passion to work directly with communities. Over the years, I familiarised myself with community engagement, mobilisation, facilitation and project management under our programmes' department supervision.' The Border Rural Committee is a membership-based land reform and rural development NGO working in the central and eastern parts of the Eastern Cape, primarily on food security projects aimed especially at women in rural areas. The project provides support through inputs and training for small-scale farmers for their own consumption and selling. Nginase says that 'geographically, and by default, rural communities are at a disadvantage in that they have limited resources and opportunities. Food security is critical in creating resilience in rural communities at a time where there is economic and political instability both nationally and globally. 'It is essential that land and other natural resources are used to create thriving rural economies, where food is locally produced, where markets and other services are created. Furthermore, rural communities must adapt to climate change where strategies to prevent food insecurity are implemented in a more preventative approach rather than responsive. This is why BRC has focused on capacity building in agroecological practices and financial management in the women-led household gardens,' she says. In the Eastern Cape, the intensity of poverty is 43.3%, according to Operation Hunger. The youth unemployment rate (15 to 34 years) reached 62.6%, while 45.5% of the labour force have not completed secondary education, with 60.6% of households relying on grants. These figures make development and upskilling projects crucial to shift the living conditions in communities. When asked what kind of intervention people respond positively to, Nginase singled out their food security programme as it seeks to reduce economic vulnerability, which is often a factor contributing to GBV and femicide (GBVF). 'The supply of inputs and training to households has created independence, self-realisation and self-awareness to various beneficiaries who are women heading households and survivors of GBV,' says Nginase. Although the scourge of GBV cuts across socioeconomic classes, Nginase says the Border Rural Committee has included GBV awareness and education in its programmes due to the high prevalence they encounter in communities. 'Women empowerment is at the forefront of our agenda, hence the focus on household gardens from disadvantaged women-led households. However, food security is not the only challenge faced by women in rural areas. GBV is notably at its highest in rural Eastern Cape. 'BRC designed a multifaceted approach of addressing food insecurity and gender-based violence through empowering women. Another approach implemented by BRC in addressing the GBV scourge is engagement with men and boys on patriarchy and toxic masculinity,' Nginase says. In mid-May, women braved the chilly autumn weather to attend one of the sessions the Border Rural Committee has in a programme to fight against GBVF in partnership with victim empowerment centres. The committee supports the centres in building their capacity, governance, resources and joint delivery of GBVF activities. They work with 15 victim empowerment centres through the established Isibane network. A four-day capacity building programme, besides dealing with legal aspects, also aims to support girls with school uniforms, transport to access counselling services and other school needs. 'We encourage the education of the girl child who is a survivor of this pandemic. BRC is continuing with the effort to fundraise from the private sector and public to support this initiative, among others working together with Lavuka Ithemba Women and Children Support Centre. 'The committee always collaborates with stakeholders such as the SAPS, traditional council members, Eastern Cape Social Development and the Smiling Valley community,' Nginase says. 'Government and civil society interventions need to be coordinated and collaborative. In addition, intervention must be on implementing approaches that are sustainable and that can create and provide reliable food security.' DM
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Science
- IOL News
SA universities rely on foreign academics while local scholars remain stuck
Unemployed graduates Graduate unemployment also remains a concern. According to Statistics South Africa, 11.3% of graduates were unemployed in 2024. South Africa's universities are increasingly turning to foreign academics to fill key teaching and research roles, while many qualified South African scholars remain unemployed, underemployed, or stuck in junior positions for years. The trend, evident across major institutions, is raising alarm among local academics and education experts who warn that the country is failing to support and retain its intellectual talent. A recent report by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) found that one in five South African academics have considered leaving the country in the past five years, with many citing better working conditions and salaries abroad. This brain drain is leaving gaps in the academic system that universities are filling with foreign lecturers and professors. According to Universities South Africa (USAf), foreign nationals now make up more than 12% of academic staff at public universities, with higher concentrations in science, engineering, and health faculties.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- IOL News
Experts discuss the fight against gender-based violence in South Africa
South Africa has very high rates of GBV, with Statistics South Africa, in its report, indicating that one in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence, while one in five has faced sexual abuse. Image: Supplied South Africans' conservative and deeply patriarchal attitudes to gender, lack of funding, failing justice system, bureaucracy and corruption, weak law enforcement, and neglect of prevention interventions are some of the major factors putting the country on the backfoot in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), according to experts. South Africa has very high rates of GBV. Statistics South Africa, in its report, indicated that one in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence, while one in five has faced sexual abuse. The Human Sciences Research Council report revealed that 33.1% of women aged 18 and older have endured physical violence in their lifetime. Fatima Shaik, the executive director of a non-governmental organisation, People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), said ending GBV requires more than laws; it demands effective enforcement, survivor-centred services, accountability, and genuine political commitment for systemic change. Shaik raised a concern that most interventions are reactive, like shelters and legal aid, with little investment in long-term prevention, such as education, gender norms transformation, and male engagement. 'Engaging men and boys is not only necessary, it is critical to the long-term eradication of GBV and the advancement of gender equality in South Africa. GBV is rooted in deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and power imbalances, and unless these are confronted and dismantled within male socialisation, true progress remains elusive. At POWA, we have seen that the most effective strategies go beyond awareness raising; they focus on transforming mindsets, reshaping social norms, and empowering men to actively challenge violence, inequality, and harmful masculinities in their own lives and communities,' she said. She also highlighted stigma and silence, where cultural norms and patriarchal pressures discourage victims from speaking out, often blaming them or urging reconciliation with abusers, which suppresses help-seeking. Shaik said reaching and assisting victims of GBV in underserved and rural communities across South Africa presents a complex set of challenges, deeply rooted in the country's socio-economic disparities, institutional weaknesses, and historical inequities. Among the key challenges, she mentioned poor infrastructure and isolation, language and cultural barriers, digital exclusion, distrust in institutions, poverty and economic dependency, corruption, and mismanagement of funds meant for victims. 'Sustainable solutions must prioritise rural infrastructure, culturally competent services, interdepartmental coordination, and grassroots partnerships to make GBV support accessible and effective nationwide,' Shaik said. Despite notable efforts including the development of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF), there remain persistent, deeply rooted challenges in the implementation and impact of GBV prevention and response strategies, she said. The core limitations, she said, are fragmented efforts where there is a lack of coordination among government departments, NGOs, and service providers that leads to duplication in some areas and severe gaps in others, disrupting survivor care. Underfunded services, weak law enforcement, bureaucracy, and corruption were also flagged. 'The crisis lies not in a lack of policy, but in poor execution, inadequate funding, and failure to prioritise survivors. South Africa must adopt bolder, community-centred, and survivor-led approaches to transform the GBV prevention and response landscape. While policy frameworks exist, innovation and effective localisation remain key to real change,' Shaik said. Professor Corné Davis-Buitendag, a research expert on gender-based violence at the University of Johannesburg, said South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world. She added that despite multiple interventions over the past few decades, the ideology of patriarchy still exists, which, coupled with the unemployment rate, reported at 32.9%, presents significant socio-economic challenges, such as a lack of resources to address GBV. 'In reference to inequality, the known facts are that a) women and children are the victims in most cases of GBV, and b) women remain in abusive relationships mostly because of their financial dependence on perpetrators. Another behavioural factor is that children who witness or experience GBV during childhood are more likely to become victims or perpetrators in adulthood. 'The most prevalent form of GBV is intimate partner violence, which means that it happens in the home, where perpetrators are known to the victims in most cases. Family or community members who witness or are aware of the abuse do not report it to authorities for various reasons, including fear, shame, and a sense of helplessness,' Davis-Buitendag said. She added that it is a general misconception that GBV occurs predominantly in poor communities. 'This is not the case. The reality is that the lower income group in South Africa is so much bigger than the affluent group, and hence the higher prevalence of GBV in poorer communities,' she said. Besides entitlement and misogyny, perpetrators of violence against children, including child rape, have little or no conscience about their behaviour. The rapid growth in online child pornography and child sex trafficking further propels ignorance and even support for the perpetration of violence against children. Many studies have shown how alcohol and substance abuse play a big role in GBV perpetration in South Africa, Davis-Buitendag said. She warned that even though there are currently many interventions on record and multiple government and non-government organisations at work, there is little evidence to suggest that the statistics are changing. In fact, they seem to be increasing. 'The biggest problem has always been a lack of funding. As the Commission for Gender Equality reported, little progress has been made since the establishment of the National Strategic Plan and the Gender-based Violence and Femicide fund. Many reports and strategies have been suggested and published, but funding remains an issue. 'The National Shelter Movement of South Africa is running on a shoestring budget, so places of safety for GBV victims are scarce. The strength of the current effort lies in community awareness, including more involvement of the private sector. The greatest limitation is the stigma and shame that still envelops GBV and the lack of funding to implement programs that show results. This can only be improved if GBV is spoken about more, so that victims can seek help without fear of the consequences,' Davis-Buitendag said. Christi Kruger, acting director at the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender at the University of Pretoria, said there is a need for a holistic approach that works with all people from a young age. 'Traditionally, South Africans tend to be silent about GBV and shy away, especially when it might be seen to be linked to sex and sexualities. Urgent conversations are needed to speak to everyday understandings of masculinities and femininities, and how everyone contributes to a society that enables violence in its various forms. 'Studies indicate that men who abuse alcohol are significantly more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV). One study by the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) shows that alcohol use by men is associated with increased frequency and severity of physical and sexual violence against women. Some studies show that alcohol was involved in approximately 65% of cases of intimate partner femicide in South Africa,' Kruger said. [email protected]
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
South Africa faces rising wildfire risk: What landowners must know
South Africa faces rising wildfire risk: What landowners must know South Africa is heading into another fire season after a devastating year in which wildfires tore through more than 3.4m hectares of land – an area larger than the Kruger National Park. Read more: Shacks burn as large fire breaks out in Kew The Human Sciences Research Council's recent Spatial Insights report found that the worst-hit areas were in the north: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, parts of Gauteng, and the North Eastern Free State. These regions are especially vulnerable due to dry vegetation, strong winds, and unmanaged land. Whether you own a farm, a smallholding, or a residential plot, you are legally required to help prevent veld fires. The National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) says you must take reasonable steps to stop fires from starting or spreading. That includes keeping your land in good condition and having proper firebreaks. If a fire starts on your property and spreads, you could be held responsible, especially if it causes damage or injury. Also read: Fire blazes in Joburg CBD What you can do Here are some simple ways to protect your property and community: Create firebreaks: Clear strips of land along your boundary can slow fires. You'll need a permit if you plan to burn them. Clean up: Remove dead branches, dry grass, and rubbish that could catch fire easily. Be careful: Never leave a fire unattended or toss burning items like cigarettes. It's illegal – and dangerous. Educate your household: Everyone on your property should know how to report a fire and use basic equipment safely. Stay alert: Join your local fire protection association to get early warnings via SMS or WhatsApp. Check your equipment: Fire extinguishers, hoses, and pumps should be ready and in working order. Local suppliers like SafeQuip stock reliable firefighting gear. Fire season is unpredictable, but with the right steps, you can help protect your home and community. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Emergency Services and City Power remain on alert after underground fire in Braamfontein At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
