Note to editors: This is an extract of a speech prepared for delivery today at the University of Cape Town
Fellow South Africans,
Thank you for asking me to address you here at the University of Cape Town. This campus is very special to me. I have been a student here and I have been a member of staff here. Until recently, my husband was a Professor of Sociology here. Both my sons studied here.
Over the years I have seen many changes on this campus. In the 1980s, it was a key site of anti-apartheid sentiment and protest. I was a member of the End Conscription Campaign which was very active here.
In the 1990s, the university grappled with the rapidly changing political landscape and its place in it. As the Director of Communication, it was my job to help strategically position the university in this brave new world.
In the 21st century, UCT has established itself as one of the leading research and teaching institutions in the world. It has proven that the values of excellence and diversity are mutually reinforcing, not mutually exclusive.
These values are also the DA's values. This is perhaps why the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO), under the leadership of Amanda Ngwenya, won the SRC elections here in September after years of domination by the South African Students Congress (SASCO).
We believe that what happened at UCT last year will be replicated across South Africa in years to come. The elections next week on May 18 will be a key juncture on that journey.
This election could one day be seen as the day that the excellence and diversity of the DA began to erode the national dominance of the ruling party. It could one day be seen as the election in which voters began rejecting the race card as a cover for service delivery failure and corruption.
If this happens, our democracy will flourish and delivery will improve. But whether this happens depends very much on you, the youth of our country.
You have a choice at this election. You can conform to the stereotype of the apathetic young person. Or you can join a growing band of young pioneers blazing a new political trail across South Africa.
Young people who care about the future of their country are converging in the DA.
There are now 26 DASO branches at tertiary institutions up and down South Africa and counting. Yesterday, we launched a brand new branch at Fort Hare University - the alma mater of struggle heroes like Nelson Mandela, Robert Sobukwe, Desmond Tutu, Oliver Tambo and Chris Hani.
Our Young Leaders Programme, now in its fifth year, is attracting the brightest and best young political talent. Some of the programme's graduates have already gone on to fill leadership positions in our party. Others are building careers outside of politics, but plan to come back one day and use their skills and experience to further the cause of democracy.
We understand that political activism is not for everyone. That is the beauty of a democracy such as ours. You don't need to be an activist to make your voice heard. All you need to do is mark an ‘X' on a ballot paper every five years. This is the most valuable contribution you can make to your country.
This is especially true at this election. The evidence shows that many towns and cities are going to go down to the wire. And the evidence shows that young people are emerging as a key factor in our politics - over 80% of newly registered voters are not yet 30.
This means that the youth vote could swing this election in many places. Where you decide to place that ‘X' on 18 May could have a very profound impact on your life. It will determine whether services will be delivered where you live. It will determine whether the lives of people living in poverty will improve or not. It will determine whether our country will move forwards or backwards.
The future is in your hands. Use your vote wisely on the 18 May.
Issued by the DA, May 10 2011
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