Youth political apathy is a byproduct of leadership bankruptcy in adults

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.” — Martin Luther King Jr, 1967 speech at Riverside Church in New York City

FOR many years, it has become politically fashionable to refer to the youth as a “lost generation”. This term, however, is misguided and unjust. If anything, the youth are political orphans — abandoned to wander in limbo without the love, empathy, and guidance they deserve from political elders.

Whoever coined the term “lost generation” owes the youth an apology, or at the very least, must prove that these young people were ever given the kind of leadership worth following. Which generation exactly is being referred to, and what political trajectory are they said to have deviated from?

The truth is this: Political elders have failed the youth. Their apparent political apathy speaks volumes about the leadership deficit in our political landscape.

The freedom we enjoy today is owed to the sacrifices of countless young freedom fighters. Their courage is echoed in the words of Frederick Douglass: “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”

Douglass reminds us that only those who resist injustice can understand its depth. Similarly, only those who stood on the streets of Soweto on June 16, 1976, can fully grasp the magnitude of that historic uprising.

Yet today, the voices of the youth are eerily silent in national politics. In a country of nearly 60 million people, it is unacceptable that only one representative — Ronald Lamola — stands for the youth in cabinet. The ANC Youth League and IFP Youth Brigade appear to be in a coma, politically speaking. If this trend continues, South Africa risks being led by septuagenarians well into the future.

Before I proceed further, allow me to share a lesson from Richard Bach’s Illusions, particularly his “Messiah’s Handbook”: “Argue for your own limitations, and sure enough they are yours.”

This serves as a reminder that youth participation should not merely be about representation — it should be about empowerment. Participation means more than just showing up; it means learning to give. As one former juvenile delinquent once said during a community service programme: “Nobody ever treated me like I had anything to give. Just to take. So that's all I ever did — take.”

That simple statement reveals everything we need to know about how to inspire youth engagement. We must teach them that they have something valuable to contribute.

Today’s youth face challenges that make their disengagement from politics understandable. Many are caught in cycles of poverty, substance abuse, and disillusionment. Yet none of this is surprising, given the environment in which they grow up. The solution lies in inspiring them to give, to dream, and to believe in their ability to change the world.

Our nation finds itself in turbulent times. The “Ship of State”, once guided by moral compasses, now seems adrift, caught in a hurricane without rudder or direction. If we are to save our country, we must repair both our moral compass and our collective sense of purpose.

In light of the current state of youth engagement, we must re-evaluate where we place our hopes and how we nurture them. As the saying goes, “the fox gets into the henhouse whenever we look away”. We cannot afford to be complacent.

The time has come to open a new chapter in our nation’s journey — one led by a new generation armed with innovative ideas and active energy. They seek not just a change in administration but a transformation in political values and standards. As civil rights icon John Lewis urged: “When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.”

Paul Goodman, in his 1950s work Growing Up Absurd, argued that society fails when it does not provide meaningful work for its youth. Disengaged youth are not rebellious by nature — they are simply unchallenged and unguided.

Erik Erikson once shared a story about Sigmund Freud, who was asked what a healthy person ought to be able to do. Freud replied: “To love and to work.”

Unfortunately, lack of time prevents me from exploring the first necessity tonight. But the second remains urgent.

Graham Greene once wrote: “There is always one moment when the door opens and lets the future in.”

That moment is now. Our youth must begin making themselves visible, especially in the political arena. Many youths confuse material change with progress. They forget that everyone must start from scratch and discover meaning for themselves. The confusion between change and progress is dangerous, and often rooted in ideological misinterpretation.

As Aristotle wisely noted: “All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind are convinced that the fate of empires depends upon the education of their youth.”

Benjamin Franklin reinforced this in 1778: “Nothing is of more importance for the public welfare than to train our youth in wisdom and virtue.”

We must embrace change, not fear it. As Dr. John Gardner wrote in Self-Renewal: “Each generation refights the crucial battles and either brings new vitality to the ideals or allows them to decay.”

I would rather generate controversy than consensus here. I agree with Ian Mitroff, who argues that our culture trains us to compromise too soon and avoid conflict. That is why calling June 16 “Youth Day” feels like a betrayal of the martyrs of the struggle. There is nothing youthful or celebratory about the bloodshed and pain endured on that day. Similarly, Sharpeville Day should not be sanitised under the banner of Human Rights Day. These events were tragedies, not parties.

Ludwig Wittgenstein reminds us that words carry weight based on context and usage. The renaming of such days trivialises the memory of those who died for our freedom. Mao Zedong warned: “One single incorrect formulation, and the whole nation will flourish; one single incorrect formulation, and the whole nation will decline.”

Freedom has a price, and if we forget that, we risk losing it altogether. There was no youth apathy in 1976. Historian Otto Scott warns: “There is a disturbing possibility that in our rush toward innovation, we may forget the answers discovered in the past.”

Scott Warren, in Generation Citizen: The Power of Youth in Our Politics, argues that politicians fail to inspire young people. They are treated as pawns — ignored until election season, then pandered to with shallow promises. Young people are tired of being told they’re failures by adults who ignore their struggles.

They ask:

• “Will my vote even matter?”
• “How can I participate if I’m uninformed?”
• “Why should I care when the news only talks about drama?”

These are legitimate concerns. And they point to a deeper issue: distrust in institutions meant to serve them.

Warren concludes that democracy may not feel like the best form of government when it appears broken. While he writes from an American perspective, his insights resonate deeply with the South African experience.

Ronald Reagan once said we need fewer politicians and more statesmen. A politician seeks re-election; a statesman seeks a legacy. As Eisenhower said when asked why he ran for president: “To make America a better place for my grandchildren.”

We must urgently move our youth from the periphery to the centre of our national agenda. They don’t need to be talked at — they need to lead. The youth must be reminded that this is a conquering world, not a decadent one. They are natural adventurers — let them rise to the occasion.

An ancient adage goes: “If each sweeps before his own door, the village will be clean.”

But in modern times, we must internalise this as a call to personal responsibility. Public office is a trust, and civic participation is a duty. Where, then, is the youth? What will become of this country when only one voice — Ronald Lamola — represents millions of young people? Only the youth can answer that.

In conclusion, I invite you to reflect on a passage from Beowulf. When Beowulf arrives in Hrothgar’s kingdom, a sentry warns him: “Between two things must a sharp shield warrior know the difference: words and works.”

Words are important, but action is essential. As George Washington Carver said: “No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.”

Stephen Grellet captured the essence of our challenge: “I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now.”

How shall our freedom live on in the future? By planting its ideals in the hearts of the youth. There is no other way.

A New York senator once gave his child a map torn into pieces, hoping to keep her quiet. She returned it completed within minutes. “On the back was a picture of a boy,” she said. “I figured if I could build the boy right, the world would be all right.”

Let us build the youth right — and the world will follow. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

* Dr Vusi Shongwe works in the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal and writes in his personal capacity.

** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media.