Apartheid was 17 years ago, yes the ramifications the policy has left behind are not going to be fixed overnight but thats no excuse to stop trying.
I was in a taxi recently and i overheard (eavesdropping) a conversation between two young adults girls in their early 20's. The one was compalaning about how apartheid has robbed her of opportunities in the New South Africa. I sat there thinking to myself, you not even 25 yet you have already given up trying.
Yes this dreaded policy took away more than just freedom fighters lives, yes it took aways the dignity(for some time) of the various cultures this country is rich for. But if teenagers who are regarded as the future of this country have already given up, and are blaming apartheid. What future does this magnificent rich country have.
As the future generation, the only thing that we need to is believe in ourselves and go after our dreams. Verwoerd may have been the infamous arctitect of apartheid but we can carve our place in this country as the a generation who chased after their dreams. Even though most people are still improvished, living in quatter skamps and with no decent employment, not trying to succeed is realising the fallen oppressors vision that we are inferiors.
Life is never easy, and as young people I believe that we can make it a little less difficult. Sure its "in" to be rambunctious teens who give little about consequences, but its not going to help us realise our potential. Apartheid came crashing down 17 years ago, I am not saying we must forget of the inequalities it has left our society burdened with. Rather we MUST not especially the off spring of those who fought for the freedom of this country, let it define us.
We can be anything we want to be if we set our minds to it.
Like the great Michael Jackson said: "Let us not spend pur lives being a Colour."
