Tomorrow is Youth Day, the day we recall the tragic events of the 16th of June 1976, the day an estimated 20 000 students rose up in protest of the enforced implementation of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in government schools. The image of the lifeless body of Hector Pieterson being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo is one that remains as poignant now as it did 35 years ago. It’s not a holiday to celebrate, but perhaps a day that we can contemplate what it means to be young in contemporary South Africa and how important it is to nurture the youngest generations. We asked some of our artists to look into the future and tell us about their wishes and dreams for their children. This is what they said;
Brighton Swabu “ I wish a good successful life for my daughters Latifah and Hadija. I want them to be responsible and reach the highest level of learning. I wish that they can become aeroplane pilots.”
Artwell Munenura “I want Brandon and Hope to go to university, maybe one can be a doctor and the other one a businessman like Raymond Ackerman.”
Malanga Kula “I wish for Prince and Kaden a good education and a happy life. Maybe they will be engineers. I look forward to being a grandfather. But not too soon.”
Nolobabalo Komsana “I want my daughter Unalo to have a good education, maybe become a doctor and marry a good man.”
Reginald Mangwiro “I want my son to become a neurosurgeon!” ( no pressure there!)
Asanda Yekiso “I want a bright future for my daughter Asemahle. Maybe she will become a doctor.”
Eddie Jange “I want my daughter and unborn son to have all the opportunities that I didn’t have. I think Tanya should be the first female president of Zimbabwe and my son to be a lawyer.”
Hilary Matawa “I want my daughter Angel, to be her own boss. I want her to get a good education and go to university and get good grades. I wish that she will take her time to marry and not let any man take advantage of her. I want her to stand up for herself. I want her to take after me.”
Dudu Gazela “I want Abigail ( nickname Popeye ) to be a doctor. A happy married Doctor. I look forward to being a Grandmother.”
Joel Chimbwanda “Of course I want a good education for Marvin, and for him to become a Professor so that he can teach other people.”
Beauty Moyo “I want my daughters Tandiwe and Silethu to have big dreams and to be well educated so that they can achieve those dreams.”
Patson Marange “I would like my son Bliss to be educated as an engineer.”
Abraham Aubrey Titus “I would like to see my son Gerswin become a chemical engineer.”
Thobela Mnguma “I would like to see my son Luthu become a lawyer. And just one wife is fine, I don’t want him to have stress.”
Luckson Tinago “I wish for my son, Tafadzwa Riaan Tinago, to know God, and to be an honest, faithful, hardworking and intelligent man. Even more than his father”
So here’s to youth and the future. And may we, all the grown up South Africans, find one common goal, to endeavour to do all that we can to make these dreams come true.
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