KAMOGELO LEDWABA

Young people in South Africa are slowly drifting away from politics, and it is becoming a serious concern.

Many no longer pay attention to the Constitution or think about the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and for a country where every voice could be heard.

Today, it is mostly older people who show up at voting stations, standing in long queues because they understand what it cost to build this democracy.

They remember the struggle, the pain, and the sacrifice. But many young people seem to have stepped back, as if the future of the country does not depend on them.

This gap between young people and democracy is worrying. A country cannot move forward when its youth, the largest and most energetic group in society, are disconnected from decisions that shape their lives.

If young people want change, they cannot only complain or observe from the sidelines. They also need to take part and make their voices count through action.

History shows young people were never meant to be silent. The 1976 student uprising proved youth once stood at the centre of change in South Africa. Students took to the streets knowing the risks they faced, yet they chose to stand up against injustice.

Their courage helped expose the brutality of apartheid to the world. Young leaders including Hector Pieterson, Tsietsi Mashinini and Seth Mazibuko became symbols of bravery and resistance. They remind us young people once carried the struggle for freedom on their shoulders.

That history leaves us with an important question today: if young people once fought so hard for freedom, why are so many now disconnected from politics?

When issues including unemployment, inequality and lack of opportunities affect them every day, who will stand up and speak for them if they do not do it themselves? Without active youth participation, their concerns can easily be ignored.

Voting is one of the most powerful ways young people can make their voices heard. They are not only the future of South Africa, they are part of its present.

The decisions made in elections affect their education, jobs, safety, healthcare and overall quality of life. When they vote, they are not only choosing leaders, they are choosing the kind of life they want for themselves.

However, there is a growing belief among some young people that voting does not change anything. They feel elections always bring the same results and nothing improves.

This way of thinking is dangerous because it weakens democracy from the inside. When young people stop voting, they don’t take power away from leaders, they give it away without realising it.

Democracy only works when people participate. It depends on citizens who stay involved, ask questions and use their votes to hold leaders accountable. If the youth stay silent, decisions about their future are made without them.

South Africa’s democracy was not built easily. It came through sacrifice and loss. Chris Hani, a powerful voice for the youth, was assassinated in 1993 during the country’s transition to democracy.

Leaders such as Steve Biko and Solomon Mahlangu gave their lives fighting for freedom. They, together with many activists and ordinary people, helped build the rights and freedoms we enjoy today.

As South Africa marks 30 years of the Constitution, it is important to remember what it represents. It protects human rights, guarantees equality and gives every citizen a voice.

But these rights only matter if people use them. A constitution is not enough on its own; it needs active youth to keep it alive.

This is where young people come in. They have the power to shape the country’s future by choosing leaders who understand their struggles and are willing to make real changes. Through voting, they can push for better education, more jobs, safer communities and a fairer society.

Democracy did not end in 1994, and it was not completed when the Constitution was written. It is something that continues every day, and every generation has a role to play.

The sacrifices of the past call for action in the present. Staying silent is not a solution; it is giving up power.

The youth have a choice to make. They can stay on the sidelines, or they can take responsibility for the democracy that was built for them.

If they choose to vote, they are not only honouring those who fought before them, they are also shaping their own future and the future of the country.