Chairperson, colleagues, today I stand before you to pay homage to the many who sacrificed their lives in the June 16 uprising. We have to ensure that our democracy is embraced and nurtured by both young and old as we all want to leave a legacy behind.
The youth are not interested in how many pieces of legislation we pass, they are interested in deliverables. The IFP believes it is time to embrace the values of ubuntu, tolerance, unity in diversity and respect for human rights. Mahatma Ghandi called it non-violence or "Satyagraha". Our Constitution is founded on it, on human dignity.
My colleague, the hon John Bhengu, has written an entire book on ubuntu and today I would like to quote from his book. He says:
We live in an age of cultural disarray and cultural decay. An age filled with ruins and fragments of morality, therefore, our intellectual landscapes are littered with allegorical tales of deterioration, rather that the dramatic narratives of reconciliation.
Many members in the course of this week have spoken about the challenges facing the youth, but 1976 and 2008 speak of two very different eras. In 1976 the youth were at the vanguard of the liberation struggle. In 2008 we see an African refugee being sacrificed and we also see the youth turning to crime and substance abuse.
In 1976 the youth were the pride of the nation. In 2008 the youth are consumed by greed and materialism. In 1976 the youth sacrificed education for liberation, but where does it all start? It begins with nurturing, internalising values, a value system that is not legislated upon, turning it into some kind of ideology; like apartheid.
The world desperately needs activism. We need agitators of change, equality, peace and freedom. We should not practise a smorgasbord of diplomacy in which we pick and choose when we want to do the right thing. Today we have become a totally inclusive parliament, a mosaic of different race groups, cultural and linguistic groups, all held together by the common thread of wanting to do good. I'm running out of time so quickly! In conclusion, to paraphrase Dr Martin Luther King:
The youth must not be the thermometers that record and register the temperature of society, but thermostats that transform and regulate society. Most importantly; to instil in youth the right values.
I just feel that values are the shield that you carry with you throughout life. It protects you from whatever life throws at you. So let us reclaim the spirit of ubuntu. It is the essence of our Africanness.
Today, despite the growing recognition of their needs, young people in many parts of the world continue to be marginalised and ignored. Their status as a group which is experiencing disproportionate levels of poverty and unemployment is frequently overlooked. As a result the youth are three times more likely than adults to lack jobs. Today let us go back, hand in hand, and reclaim the spirit of ubuntu. I thank you. [Applause.]