Chairperson, we salute the youth of 1976. From them we have learnt endurance and what it means to be a true patriot. They stood in the frontlines and declared that they were prepared to pay the ultimate price so that we could rise today with clenched fists and ask: "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika".
In the words of one of the greatest sons of Africa, and I quote:
To take part in the African revolution is not enough to write a revolutionary song: you must fashion the revolution with the people. And if you fashion it with the people, the songs will come by themselves.
And of themselves.
When we say that Parliament must be activistic, it must fashion its practices and processes with the people. Through Parliament, we should reflect honestly on our challenges because they are the reflection of the state of affairs in our community.
The people want to engage actively with the government of the people and therefore Parliament should take a lead in the struggle. The youth of the 1976 have left us with a rich heritage and history. Here we find the important blocks and the solid foundation upon which we must consolidate democratic rule.
The question I want to ask most of the parties rising here today to speak on youth issues is: What role is your party playing in strengthening youth organisations? Some of you do not even have youth structures in your own organisations. [Interjections.]
Hon Greyling came here and spoke about the issues of young people who are in the process of being swallowed, whereas he doesn't even have a youth structure. He talked about the issue of not having solutions for young people.
He must start in his own party. There must be reflections of young people's activities within each and every political party. You cannot come to Parliament and tell the public that you are interested in youth organisations, youth activities and youth development whereas in your own party, there is no emphasis on or efforts at all to dealing with youth issues.
Start with building youth organisations. You should not only have them - they should be active. Let us see them. You should drive them to the fore. The ANC made sure that we have young people, and that is why we are here in Parliament. [Interjections.]
If we check in terms of numbers, there are a majority of young Members of Parliament in this Parliament. It cannot be said about others. It is about us taking the issues of young people to the forefront; not only by the speeches that we make here, but also though our actions. We have to be very careful when we stand here and talk about youth issues. [Applause.]
Hon Adams, there is nothing wrong with young entrepreneurs. There is nothing wrong with that at all. We must encourage young people to develop companies and develop themselves. They should be independent. Not every successful young person out there who owns a company is corrupt. There are young people who have worked very hard to have their companies rise and to be able to stand on their feet. They have sweated for that. [Applause.]
Every time when you see a black young person who has a business, you should not think that he is corrupt. It is wrong to always link them to corruption. We must encourage young people not only to be job seekers but also to be entrepreneurs. We must continue to do so.
You talk about corruption, but we, as the ANC government, have put the issue of corruption in the forefront. When President Zuma took over, he was one of the people who said that he was going to deal with corruption. [Interjections.]
I am coming to you. I want to come to you while you are still there. Today I want you to tell the public about the DA adverts. There was a mother from KTC in Gugulethu, who was on national TV in an advert saying:
Ndiyakhanyisa namhlanje, ndinombane! [I can switch the lights on today - I have electricity!]
I want to challenge the media to go to that mother's house today. There is no electricity; she does not have electricity. [Applause.] That poor woman does not have electricity, but she is in an advert saying ...
Ndiyabulela DA, ndifumene umbane. Owuphi umbane? Owuphi umbane, ungekho nje? [I thank the DA - I have electricity. What electricity? What electricity, when there is no electricity?]
During the elections, even the neighbours went and asked her ... ... mama, uvele kumabonakude wathi unogesi, thina singabomakhelwane asinawo sifuna ukuwubona. [... mama. you appeared on television and said that you have electricity; we, as neighbours, don't have it and we want to see it.]
That is why I am asking. The other advert showed a celebrity mom saying ...
Ndiyabulela DA! Hayi bo! [I thank the DA! Oh no!]
If you are helping, let us see you helping poor people.