Gauteng Premier David Makhura believes young people are in the process of self-discovery. Makhura was addressing the youth at Morris Isaacs High School to commemorate youth day on Thursday.
He said the self-identity of the youth comes with economic opportunities. “That self-definition also has a relationship with power in all forms of it that’s why we say self-identify of youth the first struggle they must win is to define themselves,” he said.
Makhura said the government shouldn’t ask for experience when hiring youth. “We mustn’t ask for experience from young people in government; they bring new energy, ideas, and skills because they are better educated,” he said.
Johannesburg mayor Dr. Mpho Phalatse said today’s youth should use education to empower themselves. “We need to get young people as many as possible to get them in the position of influence, and that information must be shared with those struggling,” she said.
She said she also started from the bottom as a waitress. “Many people don’t know when I finished matric I worked as a waitress… I also worked at a retail store; these are some stepping stones I had to take,” she said.
Morris Isaacs High School students led the march of the historic 1976 uprising, which led to bloodshed when they protested against using Afrikaans during the apartheid regime.