the meaning of freedom of expression amongst the south african youth

freedom of expression can be abused and misused if placed in the wrong hands. a lot has to be taken into scrutiny when it comes to  the south African youths. Many a times they are caught up in the acts that can probe political instability in a country or rather something that can stir up a genocide. thus, being the removal of the statue and the Xenophobia attacks' respectively.

protesters throw poo on Rhodes' statue

 This kind of act has the potential of disrupting the 'state of equilibrium' that is in south africa which is dubbed a rainbow nation. everyone has a right to express themselves but should it be absolute even if it poses threats to the political system as the youths are not prepared to stop in the case of removing these statues.

Moving forward, the recent Xenophobia/ Afrophobia attacks in Durban seem to have been perpetuated by the youths. As the energetic young people they have concentrated their energy on putting a message across to the foreigners. They may be angry towards the foreigners and the issue of unemployment but are they directing it to the right people and is it the right way to go about it.this is affecting many people and at the same time causing hatred amongst nations. From my own point of view this is not the kind of grooming that young people ought to have as it is unhealthy for them and the people nearby.
 Do they posses the right qualities of leadership?

youths protesting against the attacks.

youths disrepectful or just overzeaslous all in the name of being radical politicians?

the Zimbabwean youths seem to have gone overboard when it comes to politics.MDC T youths clashed with bussed Zanu PF supporters, alleged ZANU PF youths seem to have attacked MDC women during their rally in Magwegwe. This is what prompted MP, Thabitha Khumalo to remove her tshirt and giving it to another woman whose tshirt was torn.

MDC T legislator, Thabitha Khumalo

We followed these guys to Njube because we suspected they were Zanu PF youths and that was confirmed before we even arrived at the venue of the rally because we met a group of women who had just been attacked by the same youths.


They pretended to be vendors in Gweru and disrupted President Tsvangirai’s meet the people tour in Gweru. We were ready for them in Bulawayo and we beat them up,” said the youth who declined to be named.
Tsvangirai was not at the rally because he reportedly rushed to Harare where party members were allegedly assaulted by police who were reportedly looking for a missing helmet at Harvest House.

should this kind of behaviour be expected from youths who are said to be the future leaders//

SOUTH AFRICANS REMOVAL of CECIL J RHODES STATUE A 'recipe for disaster'?

South African youths proved themselves to be radical politicians when they demanded the removal of Cecil John Rhodes statue in Cape Town. This protest came in light when a University of Cape Town student poured a bucket of excrement on the statue two weeks ago. Since then there has not been any peace regarding the statue leading to its removal on the 9th of April.

UCT students protest for the removal of the statue

However, they are believed to be motivated by the EFF leader Julius Malema who was quoted saying his mind  while addressing the University of Witwatersrand;
 “It’s through collapsing of these types of symbols that white minority will begin to appreciate that there is nothing superior about them'
 “So, one step into a corrective direction is a very important step and, therefore, should never be questioned when Rhodes falls."

statue being removed

The statue of Cecil John Rhodes made an unceremonious exit from the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Thursday evening as students pelted it with paint and rubbish.

The president of Zimbabwe joked about the situation as he  was quoted saying;
  ”We have his corpse, you can keep his statue,” he added, causing South African President Jacob Zuma and the twenty cabinet ministers from both governments to break in laughter.

However, it brings questions to the political system in South Africa as there are statues of many Boers who took part in the Apartheid era, for example, Paul Kruger.

Also, was this a wise decision or it was just a recipe for disaster as it will stir political instability for this 'rainbow' nation

The world is watching closely for the next step from the South African young politicians in the making.


 

'spin-doctor' PSYCHOLOGY MAZIWISA

maziwisa with president Robert G Mugabe

Psychology Maziwisa was born on 1 March 1983 in Mutare, Zimbabwe’s third largest city.He has two children William 7 and Samara 2 and is married to Thandeka Maziwisa.
He is a zimbabwean lawyer, politician and ZANU-PF spokesman.
 Maziwisa joined ZANU-PF in 2010 after attaining his degree in South Africa. He is a young politician with an oozing fire in him. he is known for his hard hitting articles criticizing  Morgan Tsvangirai on his mad sex life.
Because of his controversy, he is known as the spin doctor.

psychology maziwisa

During the factions era in ZANU PF from 2014, Maziwisa appeared to be one of the frontline supporters of Robert Mugabe. He was very vocal against an alleged faction perceived to be under the leadership of former vice president Joice Mujuru. For this reason among others, Maziwisa has come to be identified as one of the biggest bootlickers in the ZANU PF party.

He is one of the people who has no mercy for the MDC because of his tongue lashing comments.

FACTORS THAT HINDER GIRLS TO LIVE UP THEIR POLITICAL POTENTIAL

A shift in attitude in political systems around the world plays a pivotal role in empowering women.

 Political socialization is a factor that can enable or disable young people's participation in political issues. It is also the premier agent in the development of young people’s political attitudes and behavior. Indeed, early political experiences can instill in many individuals the belief that they have the power to take part in the democratic process, whether by voting, engaging in other forms of political participation, or ultimately running for office. 

First of all, there needs to be policies that are enough to buttress the empowerment of women.

Somali girls; Photograph: Antonio Zazueta Olmos/ Antonio Olmos

However, making policies is not sufficient; there is also a need for progressive laws that can encourage and protect young girls.

Also to take note is that cultural practices can undermine and hinder  implementation of laws and policies – laws against forced marriages, child marriage, dowry and bride price, violence against women, can be framed in ways that do not challenge gender inequality. This negatively affects the education of girls and young women.

Women Empowerment in Pakistan

Looking at the women from Somalia, the enviroment created for them in their country diminishes them to objects and denies them the opportunities that will enable them to fully participate in the political world. They are only familiar with female genital mutilation (FMG) that is usually done against their will

Further, in trying to win this over there is also a need of mobilising a public sphere that involves all and sundry and also will deal with  issues of mobility, violence against women, lack of political education and access to economic resources and cultural support.

CHALLENGES OF POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT IN AFRICA

Political empowerment in Africa is hindered by many factors such as the economy , education and also hindered by the society and culture. 
  In many countries girls marry and become pregnant at a very young age and end their education out of necessity, in order to take care of a young family. They become succumbed to those families and leave all the serious issues such as politics to their husbands.

www.thinkafricapress.com

 Poorly educated as they are, they only become interested in trivial issues that do not contribute in their lives such as gossip and scandal. Often, most of them they are unable to work and to empower themselves

economically. 

However, in most cases that have to do with local governance, community leadership women tend to lurk behind. People are still holding on to the patriarchal society whereby a woman's place is in the kitchen.
Looking at young men, they have developed apathy as most of them are jobless and they no longer have an interest in political empowerment because economically they are not. They have now polluted their minds with dealings that at the end of the day gets them into trouble as they would have failed to abide by the laws required or to follow procedure.
The issue of employment is another factor which needs to be taken into serious consideration and also a  part of the challenges to do with political empowerment.

w

 This requires not only social and political empowerment, which forms the basis of transformed relations with the state, but also economic empowerment, which enhances people’s abilities to engage. The underlying logic is that greater empowerment also allows for greater accountability.therefore it also needs to start with the leaders taking great initiatives.

But women are not forthcoming as expected. Again you shouldn’t blame them sometimes because of some restricting factors surrounding the environme - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/many-challenges-of-women-empowerment-in-africa-onyedim/#sthash.EXHjlOSI.dpuf

So, if women don’t come out to demand for their right nothing will be given to them. They need to come out and become part of governance in their community, ward, local government, state and country. But women are not forthcoming as expected. Again you shouldn’t blame them sometimes because of some restricting factors surrounding the environment in which they find themselves. For instance, in Africa, women are not all that recognised to hold some key positions in the society; the region will be against you, the society, the family issue is there, culture, environment even women among themselves will be against you. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/many-challenges-of-women-empowerment-in-africa-onyedim/#sthash.EXHjlOSI.dpuf

So, if women don’t come out to demand for their right nothing will be given to them. They need to come out and become part of governance in their community, ward, local government, state and country. But women are not forthcoming as expected. Again you shouldn’t blame them sometimes because of some restricting factors surrounding the environment in which they find themselves. For instance, in Africa, women are not all that recognised to hold some key positions in the society; the region will be against you, the society, the family issue is there, culture, environment even women among themselves will be against you. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/many-challenges-of-women-empowerment-in-africa-onyedim/#sthash.EXHjlOSI.dpuf

GENDER EQUALITY IN POLITICAL EMPOWERMRNT

Both men and women need to be given a fair chance in participating and being hands-on in politics. Often, women are deprived of the opportunity leading to them lacking behind, either because of a patriarchal society or the mentality that a woman's place is in the kitchen. As this may apply in most of our African societies but it also violates women's rights.
 A classic example is that of the Bill which was proposed in Iran which only diminishes women to baby making machines and discriminating them from doing other jobs which are said to be specifically for men.

internationalwomenshealth.org

Women are often deprived of opportunities that will enhance them and also showcase their potential in political issues. We have reached 2015 and looking at Zimbabwe it has not reached the Millennium Development Goal that advocates for gender equality as we see that still there is no equality in the parliament because there are few women as compared to men.

The country faces challenges of limited coordination of the national gender management system, inadequate implementation of the national gender policy, partial domestication of international and regional instruments, low participation of women in politics and decision making positions, limited access productive resources, and gender based violence.

Women’s representation in the Lower and Upper House currently stands at 14 and 33 percent respectively lower than the MDGs and the SADC Gender and Development Protocol benchmarks.

 A program founded by the NGO, the Women's Empowerment Program develops women's leadership, strengthens women's organizations, increases women's rights and ensures their personal security, and creates new political and economic opportunities for women across. It is believed that a promotion of women’s political rights is a basis for democracy strengthening.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

Involvement in politics is an attempt at creating a common good, while taking an active part in an organization is an absolute must for university students. However, it would be much better if they join a political party which seeks to uphold pluralism in their country.
it is believed that young people have clear thoughts which would be useful for improving people’s lives, therefore laying a good foundation for them that will enable them to have good empowerment towards politics.Also it is for the good of a country.

http://www.proud2bindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/indianyouth.jpg

 Looking at India, the Indian youth deliberately needs to be empowered and their own power and potential need to be utilized in an accurate way. Youth need to be given authority, a platform, where they can express themselves fully without fear.

In Nigeria, a bid to empower youths have been fruitless because of  a dislocated past, a corrupt and confused generation, as well as a people with a shattered and an uncertain future. In this tragic failure, 'we have inadvertently empowered our youths with the spirit of corruption'

In a bid to achieve this, there is a need for under privileged youths to be given free education that will empower them, create people with an analytic and critical mind towards serious issues that affect their lives.
Further, also a formation of a youth committee in order to increase active participation and also select people who might belong to different fields and areas of specialization to be part of that board.
An empowerment that will put a country into safe hands

10 ESSENTIALS OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Infographic Credit: Tafadzwa Mhepoh

1. Engage and represent your people: Leadership means creating a common mission and vision with the people you lead, and representing it relentlessly. Do that, and we all tenaciously rally and do our best.

2. Collaborate and compromise

with colleagues: Leadership means working together -- with give and take -- toward a common goal of a shared good. When instead egos get in the way, people, rather than ideas, take center stage in distorted ways

3. Supervise at an appropriate level of detail: Leadership means finding a healthy balance between being "informed" and "involved." When leaders misjudge their needed level of scrutiny or involvement, they make mistakes of omission that lead to serious consequences.

4. Be decisive in a timely manner: Leadership means having the courage to take timely corrective action on someone or something that's not working. Timely decision-making is intrinsic to good leadership.

5. Be accountable: Leadership means owning inevitable errors and failures, even though fear or stress would tempt you to distance yourself from them. Aside from being good leadership, an error owned and transcended tends to result in great achievements. Our political "leaders" are epically far better at blaming or stepping back from mistakes than they are at owning a failure or misstep.

6. Innovate: Leadership means innovation. True innovation isn't in a method, process, book, or workshop. It's in the mirror of our imagination and courage. Intrinsic to the survival instinct of politicians is avoiding what takes courage to change. The key to change our leadership for the better is to remind our leaders that innovation -- like the privatization of space travel -- is a cool and popular way toward a rewarding shared future.

7. Make a positive impact on people, planet and economy: Leadership means making positive impacts on individuals, communities, natural resources, and on the economic ecosystem. A leader's achievements and legacy are ultimately measured and moderated by their impact.

8. Be honest: Leadership means candor with yourself and others -- both emotionally and intellectually -- and being willing to ask for and hear such honesty from colleagues, clients, and the communities you impact. Great honesty brings the humility needed for great leadership when things are going well, and the necessary fuel for critical change when things are in trouble

9. Delegate effectively: Leadership means delegating the "what," and not the "how," to launch people into effective, independent action. It's honoring them as adults, and coaching and supporting them to find their own ingenuity, even when telling them would be faster.

10. Listen: Leadership means asking and listening, rather than doing the talking the majority of the time. It's trusting the people who know best what's needed are the ones actually living with the results of your leadership. Your job is to quiet the noise of your own preconceptions and ego in order to hear those who know best: the wisdom of the people.

Adapted from the Huffington Post 

TIME TO ACT!!

The strike which seem to be affecting most state universities is also affecting students. The strike seem to have started last week in Great Zimbabwe University and has spread throughout the country with lectures saying that they have not been paid for February salaries.  Most lectures and even non staff members have resolved into staying at home up until they have been paid.

Great Zimbabwe University

Jabulani Denhere, GZU workers union president, said: “Workers have not been paid their February salaries as well as their 2014 end of year bonus.


This is the time the Students Representative Committee (SRC) presidents have to act on behalf of the other students as fees have been paid but still do not get what they have paid for. As young politicians they have to take action in ensuring that students are somehow not affected and dragged into the squabbles.
At the University of Zimbabwe, yesterday students took into the streets and demonstrated against the strike resulting in police officers and riots coming whilst at Midlands State University there are allegations that the students wanted to beat up the Vice Chancellor.
Amidst all this and the students misbehaving the question to ask is then, where are the SRC presidents so that they put the students at ease by informing them about what is on the ground rather than leaving them to speculate.

It may be an issue which involves the government but as Universities there are SRCs that are there to represent the students on their behalf. They need not take the backseat but rather act upon this, be heard and taken into account. Many students have said out their grievances on how the strike is affecting their lectures as examinations have already been scheduled.
One student from National University of Science and Technology in an interview  yesterday said "there is no point in going to class since i know lecturers won't come and we haven't heard anything from the SRC president"

National University of Zimbabwe

Meanwhile, the UZ announced on Tuesday it was closing until March 24, 2015, after students - See more at: http://www.zimeye.com/lecturers-strike-no-more-claims-muchinguri-kashiri/#sthash.TpZ3Ppsa.dpuf

Meanwhile, the UZ announced on Tuesday it was closing until March 24, 2015, after students demonstrated in solidarity with lecturers and non-academic staff.
- See more at: http://www.zimeye.com/lecturers-strike-no-more-claims-muchinguri-kashiri/#sthash.TpZ3Ppsa.dpuf

Meanwhile, the UZ announced on Tuesday it was closing until March 24, 2015, after students demonstrated in solidarity with lecturers and non-academic staff.
- See more at: http://www.zimeye.com/lecturers-strike-no-more-claims-muchinguri-kashiri/#sthash.TpZ3Ppsa.dpuf

Meanwhile, the UZ announced on Tuesday it was closing until March 24, 2015, after students demonstrated in solidarity with lecturers and non-academic staff.
- See more at: http://www.zimeye.com/lecturers-strike-no-more-claims-muchinguri-kashiri/#sthash.TpZ3Ppsa.dpuf

Meanwhile, the UZ announced on Tuesday it was closing until March 24, 2015, after students demonstrated in solidarity with lecturers and non-academic staff.
- See more at: http://www.zimeye.com/lecturers-strike-no-more-claims-muchinguri-kashiri/#sthash.TpZ3Ppsa.dpuf

YOUTHS AND DEMOCRACY

Democracy purely is a government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. it involves respect and equal rights for everyone, but then do youths understand, exercise or rather they abuse the democracy or it is just an ideal thing.
 The young generation are the ones who will shape the future of democratic development in a country
 According to research conducted by the UN’s Development Program and the BBC World Service, youths between 15 and 24 still have a limited knowledge of democratic institutions and electoral participation.

A Cambodian youth suggested that;
"In order to urge youth to be more involved in democratic development, firstly, we have to guarantee the space for youths to communicate, to meet, and to discuss. Secondly, civil society, and especially the government, needs to work to improve the human rights situation, because when the human rights situation is restricted—when one activist gets killed—it sends a very strong message to the public that they have to be silent"

However many governments do not offer a voice to the youths leading them into mobilising themselves and revolting against the existing government like the infamous 'Arab Springs'

Another disheartening factor is that members of older generations expect subservience and offer no respect to youth voices.Not effectively engaging disaffected youth can result in instability in communities.
workshops and programmes should be put in place  to motivate and engage youths. Have parties that advocate for democracy in a certain country. Youths ought to understand what democracy really is and if those in power do not give it to the people a  problem is bound to rise leading to revolution and apathy in terms of voting.
They end up losing the interest to vote because of such issues.