Good evening ladies and gentlemen, to this, the graduation dinner of the SAWIP class of 2011. We are privileged to have you in our company. I wish to thank our parents who are present this evening. Thank you especially to my mother and sister who remain my strongest support structure. I extend my gratitude to my grandparents, who were unable to be here this evening for their unhindered encouragement and motivation. I wish also to thank, my host family, Carol, Tom, Max, Maria, Nicole, Melvin and Scrappy the dog, for their warm hospitality, and continued dedication to the program.

This evening, I have been entrusted with the responsibility to speak on youth development. For the sake of clarity and limited time, I will root my speech in South African soil.

Dempers has meticulously painted the canvas which was our collective SAWIP experience. We have undoubtedly learnt a great deal about leadership, community and service, and how it all intertwines in our vision for South Africa.

Our vision for South Africa.

These past few days, I have thought deeply about the collective vision for SA. Admit tingly, my vision for my native land has been mired by years of privilege, of living behind a glass menagerie, looking onto the SA landscape and ‘itspeople’ as an observer. My vision has been tilted and skewed to emphasize the need for economic development and looser economic markets; of freer-barriers of trade and a laissez-faire government approach. I envisaged the southern tip of Africa as a trading hub, with multinational conglomerates vying for the people’s rands and cents. This, I envisaged with the sinister knowledge that I would inherently benefit from this capitalist society.

I struggled to think of a collective vision for SA, because I had reduced the collective (essentially the African majority) to statistics. Numerical figures obtained by a regression model. At a comfortable distance I quoted the findings.

My crooked vision for SA was adjusted this past weekend in Stellenbosch, at the Lead Young seminar. There, before us, were 24 enthusiastic high school students, eager to soak up valuable lessons of leadership, service and community. And learn they did. The comprehensive SAWIP curriculum offered a fresh perspective on the above mentioned concepts in a SA context. But, in truth, the interaction with the Young Leaders left me feeling hopeful as I relearnt the definition of community and redefined the meaning of servant leadership.

The numbers had come to life. As they impassionedly spoke boldly of their dreams and future aspirations, the numerical figures were replaced by sets of shiny eyes. As this realization dawned on me, I looked around the room and thought “this is the 60% which makes up SA. We ARE the youth!” This seemingly obvious epiphany had found its place, purpose and time at a youth development conference, organized and led by the youth itself. We are they whom, without a vision, a decent education and a stroke of luck, would solemnly join the winding unemployment line. At that moment, the once foreign phrase “youth development” manifested in the flesh.

Seldom had it occurred to me until my interaction with the Young Leaders that the phrase “youth development” has been used too loosely. Now the term chokes me, it blocks my windpipe refusing to be sung nonchalantly as an ice-breaker at corporate dinner parties, as we discuss the woes and woos of South Africa.

In my personal experience, the reason I have used the term loosely is two-fold. Firstly, I had not personalized the statistics. I had not allowed them their God-given space to dream. I had divorced my bourgeoisie-self from the pool of the seemingly hopeless souls, destined to repeat the cycle of generational poverty.

Secondly, I had not recognized the NEED for youth empowerment. I had read about it in the appendixes of economic policies and Corporate Social Responsibility programs, granted. But the flaw was in my understanding. I understood it as a means of compliance with the legislature, not as a progressive means to achieving economic and social freedom in our lifetime.

And now I realize that we, as South Africans, simply don’t have the privilege of pleading ignorance. We are not at liberty to decide whether or not to invest in skills training for the youth. We can’t choose to remain cocooned and oblivious to the SA reality, for it is OUR reality. It has to be intrinsic in our nature. It must be fluid to our thoughts. Ladies and gentlemen, if we are truly committed to the vision of a democratic society, in which all its citizens realize economic and social freedom, we ought to be committed to developing SA’s youth. Our failure to do so will result in potential leaders, chemical engineers, entrepreneurs, business analysts, medical practitioners, and advocates entrapped in the caveats of poverty, not realizing their full potential.

This evening, I am encouraging a partnership between all stakeholders (government, citizens, business) to invest in our most precious and valuable commodity; our youth, this, for the sake our nation and its entire people. The time of tiptoeing around South Africa’s dire inequalities has since past. No longer can we quote the Gini coefficient at 0.68 the highest in the world, and not become restless by the status quo.For as long as we procrastinate actual change, and continue to shift the responsibility to some other body, the wider the gap between the haves and have not’s will multiply. Let it be known, that the development of all South Africans is not a charitable offer, it is our responsibility.

Let US be the answer to our beloved national prayer. As we ask God to bless Africa, to raise high its glory, and to hear our prayers. As we plead He blesses and keeps us, to protect our nation and intervene and end all conflicts. Let us answer our own prayer, not with a habitual “Amen”, but in thought and deed.

Nkosi sikelela iAfrika.

Enkosi