While so many people take reading for granted, the digital divide in South Africa still remains a major obstacle to access to information.However, this week the GaRankuwa community received a major boost with the opening of an R8-million community library. Membership will be free and the library will stock the latest newspapers and magazines and access to the internet.
But the icing on the cake was an inspirational speech by Didintle Sello, a grade 12 pupil at the local Modiri Secondary School at the library's opening.
She said many people had paid with their lives for the freedom “misused” by young people today.
“Our peers engage in immoral activities in the name of a freedom which was bought with blood and immense suffering. This library will mean nothing if it stands empty while we ravage ourselves with drugs.
“Let this library be a light on our path to success. This library should be an arsenal of weapons for success, not just another structure in our neighbourhood.”
Our current youth leaders should take note of the insight of this young leader. Firstly, she reads. Secondly, her militant threats relate to using the book as a weapon. Thirdly, her intelligence suggests that she won't be used as a puppet any time soon.
trouble is, atleast it seems this way - the cleverer young folk don't seem to be all that interested in the business of politics.
ReplyDeleteAgreed - but maybe that's a good thing. Politics seems to corrupt even the most clever of young folk.
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