Amplifying Young Voices: A Call for Youth-Centric Opinion Platforms in South Africa

South Africa’s youth are becoming increasingly politically disengaged, with only 23% of young South Africans voting in the last national election. This worrying trend highlights a growing disconnection between youth and political discourse.

 

The absence of young voices in media and politics creates a vacuum in representation, stifling the country’s potential for innovation and progress. To reverse this trend, we must create platforms that allow young people to share well-researched opinions and engage actively in public debates. These platforms are crucial for revitalizing our democracy, ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders are engaged today.

 

Young people are often sidelined in major media outlets, victims of gatekeeping, perceived lack of expertise, and limited opportunities. Newsrooms tend to favor established, often older voices, whose opinions reflect the status quo instead of society's evolving needs. This marginalization limits the diversity of thought and leaves a significant portion of the population unheard.

 

Excluding young voices from media and politics has far-reaching consequences. Youth disengagement fosters apathy, disillusionment, and a growing disconnect between policies and the realities faced by young people. When the voices of those under 35 are ignored, society loses access to avast reservoir of creativity, insight, and lived experience.

 

Without youth input, policies risk becoming outdated, ineffective, and disconnected from the social and economic realities facing the next generation. This deepens mistrust in democratic institutions and widens the gap between the government and its citizens.

 

Young people bring fresh ideas and diverse perspectives to societal issues that often go unnoticed by older generations. Their direct experience with modern challenges - such as climate change, digital disruption, and social inequality - gives them unique insights into the root causes of these problems and innovative solutions. When youth are allowed to express their opinions publicly, they challenge conventional thinking, introduce innovative approaches, and spark debates that might otherwise be ignored.

 

The #FeesMustFall movement, driven by students and young activists, is a prime example. Their protests not only spotlighted the financial burdens facing South African students but also compelled the government to reconsider higher education funding policies. This is a clear demonstration of how youth engagement can lead to significant policy shifts and societal transformation.

 

By offering platforms for young people to voice their opinions, we can unlock their potential and invigorate public discourse.

 

Platforms dedicated to young voices empower the youth by giving them the tools to shape public debate, which can lead to a more engaged citizenry. When young people see their opinions valued and their ideas recognized, they are more likely to engage in political and social activities. This empowerment fosters personal growth and cultivates a more informed and active public.

 

In turn, this helps strengthen democracy by ensuring that it reflects the needs and concerns of all citizens, not just the older or elite segments of society.

 

South Africa is part of an interconnected global community. Providing platforms for young South Africans to share their views has the potential to extend beyond national borders. Young people in South Africa face unique social, economic, and political challenges, but they also share concerns with their peers worldwide, such as climate change, economic inequality, and technology’s role in society. By sharing their perspectives, South African youth can contribute to international conversations and influence global solutions, further cementing their role as global citizens.

 

One of the most common criticisms against young people is their alleged lack of expertise. The belief that only older, seasoned professionals can contribute meaningfully to public discourse is outdated and harmful.

 

Expertise is multifaceted. It encompasses not only academic knowledge but also passion, research skills, and lived experiences. Young people often possess a deeper understanding of the most pressing issues affecting them because they live through them daily.

 

Traditional media remains difficult for young voices to penetrate. Entrenched gatekeepers often prioritize established commentators, and gaining access to these spaces requires financial resources, connections, or institutional backing - privileges that many young people do not have. Without reforms, media outlets will continue to favor older voices, silencing the youth who are desperately trying to be heard.

 

To address these challenges, we need to create independent, youth-focused media outlets that are not bound by the hierarchies of traditional media. These outlets should provide young people with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to research, write, and publish their own opinion pieces.

 

A dedicated platform could offer editorial support to help them refine their arguments, thereby building their confidence and skills as writers and public commentators. This would open public discourse to a wider range of opinions and ensure that youth perspectives are consistently represented.

 

Another effective solution is to foster partnerships between major media organizations and youth-oriented institutions, such as universities or youth NGOs. Media agencies can feature more content from young contributors, while also offering mentorship and internships that provide young people with firsthand experience in journalism. Such collaborations would benefit both sides - media outlets would gain fresh, diverse content, while young people gain visibility and experience.

 

To ensure that young people have the skills necessary to contribute effectively to public discourse, educational programs should be implemented at both the high school and university levels. These programs could teach students how to research, write, and submit opinion pieces for publication.

 

By integrating media literacy and civic education into school curricula, we can cultivate a generation of young people who are not only informed but also equipped to shape public debates. Training initiatives could also extend beyond the classroom, with workshops and mentorship programs offered by NGOs, universities, or media houses.

 

Empowering young civilian journalists can help democratize South Africa’s media landscape. When youth are encouraged to report on issues affecting their communities, they can expose stories that may otherwise go unnoticed by mainstream outlets.

 

This grassroots approach to journalism makes the media more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens, not just those with access to traditional media.

 

Civilian journalism can also inspire broader civic engagement. When young people see others in their peer group reporting on issues and engaging in public debates, they may be encouraged to do the same. This creates a ripple effect, where more young people become interested in contributing to the media, politics, and their communities, thereby strengthening the foundations of democracy.

 

South Africa cannot afford to ignore its young voices any longer. By providing platforms for youth to publish their researched opinions, we will revitalize their engagement in sociopolitical issues and ensure a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking democracy.

 

We urge media organizations, policymakers, and society at large to recognize the value of these voices and to create avenues that amplify them. In doing so, we will shape a South Africa where the leaders of tomorrow are heard today, contributing to a future that reflects the diversity, energy, and aspirations of its young population.

 

Sibahle Zuma is a human rights and development practitioner with a focus on civic freedoms, climate activism and youth participation in policy and decision-making.

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