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Mr Zamani Manganyi tells learners to forget about student strikes and focus on education. Photo supplied

Strikes are not the answer

 

A final-year social work student at the University of Venda, Zamani Manganyi (23), has embarked on a mission of empowering and motivating the youth to think positively and take charge of their future.

A resident of Mapate village in Thengwe area, Manganyi collaborated with the Department of Social Development to motivate the youth. He put together ideas and proposed the Thohoyandou One Stop to work with him to achieve his vision. The programme is called 'It's our time'.

The team visited the pupils of Gole Secondary School at Mangondi village recently and Manganyi reminded the pupils that they would one day find themselves at institutions of higher education, "where responsibility of the self is paramount". He indicated that student strikes were not the answer to addressing problems.

“There are strikes all over the country by students,” he said. “The strikes are a sign that the country is heading for great despair and someone has to do something to help prevent that from continuing to happen.”

He observed that the youth had dreams of a better life, but there were many obstacles between them and their dreams, such as poverty, teenage pregnancy, low self-esteem, poor planning, lack of interest and negligence. “You've got to take charge of your future and work hard to succeed against all these obstacles,” he said.

The theme 'It’s out time' means that every youth in the country has to decide that it is their time to make their communities and country proud by bringing about a change in their lives, families and communities.

“I don't want to hear you complain that you don't have money to further your studies,” he said. “There are many bursary opportunities waiting for you. I went to varsity for free because I had produced good results. You can still do the same - I am not special.”

Thohoyandou One Stop's Mr Dambuwo Mugabi told the youth that, without knowledge, people perish. “You are leaders of tomorrow and it's why we are pointing you towards the light for you to overcome your hardships and find yourselves successful and proud.”

Univen's Mr Takalani Thabo and Vhembe FET College's Mr Mamba Nthangeni said that their institutions were ready to accept learners who would like to further their education. 

 

Date:03 October 2014

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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