Many people are quite agreed that one potentially effective way of dealing with the plight of the youth from our country’s historically marginalised communities is to provide them with role models. Few people, however, seem to have a good grasp of how role modelling functions.
There can be no denying of the fact that some of our young men and women do not make sufficient effort to take charge of their lives. And certainly they could do much more to better both themselves and their communities if they were to make appropriate attempts to pull their weight. But what many people, particularly those who ritually proclaim their determination to help uplift the country’s disempowered inhabitants, ought to appreciate is that these youngsters need to be shown that it is completely possible for them to escape the miserable conditions they exist daily in if they make genuine efforts.
To take someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth and parade them as a role model for youngsters from backgrounds of destitution is to totally miss the point. I reserve the greatest respect for all our countrymen and women from various backgrounds who day after day toil and sweat to bring success to South Africa. But we must be careful of taking people whose main focus is to consolidate their inheritances, which admittedly is also an important economic role to play, and use them to function as role models for people who have nothing to work from.
For proper and effective role models the youngsters require people they can identify with. They require people who have something tangible in common with them. They require people who have battled with and prevailed against the myriad of insufferable circumstances they experience daily in their localities.
Former American President and certainly one of the most admired leaders of the 20th century, namely, John F Kennedy, once gave this counsel:” Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country”.
President Nelson Mandela himself said these words in his inauguration speech in 1994:” Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfil themselves”.
Not a single sensible person will dispute the fact that everyone of us has an obligation to try to find something of value to offer the country. Another crucial factor, however, is that countries have a big responsibility to invest in their people. Countries have to invest in their people in order to afford them the knowledge and skills necessary to make them useful and productive citizens.
The media regularly engages people in discussions about what our government’s priorities should be in terms of addressing our huge backlog of socio-economic ills. My approach to this important question has always been the same. We need to make sure that the strategy we choose accommodates three main ingredients: it distinguishes between long-term needs and short-term requirements; it affords people a fair chance to say what is good for them and their lives; and that the required service is delivered to those who need it most.
Among the truly indigent citizens of South Africa are those whose children have to trudge tens of kilometres to and from school each day carrying neither lunch-monies in their pockets nor lunch-boxes in their satchels. It is indeed these people whose power and status, or their lack thereof, gives South Africa the label it endures: a Third World state. And, to state the obvious, it is these selfsame people whose fortunes have to change if South Africa is to be seen and believed to be a new country.
The important changes brought about by the new order are acknowledged and duly applauded. Nevertheless a number of things need to be pointed out. First, the private sector in particular needs to acknowledge that bestowing directorships upon people who already employ accountants to look after their wealths does not look like the best form of empowerment.
Again, while I do not want to suggest that it is wrong to provide incentives to students at our schools and universities in order for them to improve their performances, we should not close our eyes or minds to the millions who lack the resources to enrol at even the humblest of schools. These people our society is at times content to call the lost generation and other obnoxious names.
It still remains to be seen if our new crop of benefactors, both domestic and foreign, will possess the stomach to penetrate our deprived communities in search of such souls. Our new providers of support have an obligation to stop confining themselves to the periphery and embrace real risks. They have to plunge themselves into the filth and squalor which exist in some of our communities to seek out souls both desirous and deserving of support. Taking that plunge alone constitutes the greatest challenge confronting our country.
For the youths from disempowered environs across the face of South Africa, effective and legitimate motivation and role modelling will come in the form of their talented brothers and sisters being rescued before giving up hope in their dreams to spearhead the rebirth of their communities. But unless we are sincere when we say we support President Mandela’s ideals and initiatives, all these things are bound to remain just a pie in the sky for the majority of our people.
Gibson Sakong
Executive Chairman – Montshepetja Academy
10 Comments until now.
IT IS VERY FUNNY AND RARE HOW PEOPLE MANAGE TO HAVE ROLE MODELS THAT SHARE SIMILAR CHARACTERS TO THEIRS, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER IT’S BACKGROUND OR CURRENT LIVES. MANY PEOPLE TEND TO HAVE RICH, FANCY, WELL KNOWN AND UNDEPRIVED PEOPLE AS THEIR ROLE MODELS, THIS HURTS ME IMMENSELY AS THEY ARE SUBJECT TO PERSONALITY DISORDERS.
IF SOMEONE BORN WITH RICHES IS A WELL KNOWN BUSINESS PERSON AND ALWAYS DOING GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY, THAT PERSON IS BOUND TO BE A ROLE MODEL. A PROBLEM IN SUCH IS AS FOLLOWS: THAT PERSON HAS NOTHING TO OFFER, TO THOSE WITH BAD BACKGROUNDS, CANNOT ITERGRATE ONESELF IN DEPRIVED SOCIETIES AND IS THERFORE NOT VISIBLE IN SOCIETIES.
I MUST GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE WHO MANAGED TO INTERGRATE INTO AND BE VISIBLE IN SOCIETIES, NOT FORGETTING THOSE WHO ARE TRYIONG TO UPLIFT SOCIETIES, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT PART OF THEM. HERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THAT; THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE FALSE, THEY DELIGATE PEOPLE WHO ARE AWARE OF THE APALLING CONDITIONS OF SUCH SOCIETIES, THEY ARE USING SOCIETIES FOR RECOGNITION ON NATIONAL AND EVEN INTERNATIONAL HEIGHTS. THEY ARE THEREFORE USELESS.
IT WOULD TO MANY APPEAR AS IF I DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EFFORTS, I DO AND WILL ALWAYS DO. MY PROBLEM IS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER IN THEIR LIVES SLEPT OR EVEN LOOKED AT SHANTY AREAS, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN TEACH THE YOUTH TO LIVE FOR CHANGE, PERSONALLY AND SOCIALLY? I MENTIONED A PERSONALITY DISOERDER (NACICISM), THIS IS USUALLY CAUSED BY ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFLUENT OR ENGAGING WITH THEIR LIVES (DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY) ON A DAILY BASIS. IMAGINE IF I, AS A BASKETBALL, PLAYER LOOKED UP TO MICHAEL JORDAN’S SON, HE INHERITED EVERYTHING, STATUS, RECOGNITION AND AFFLUENCE, I WOULD OBVIUSLY PRETEND TO BE HIM AND GIVE NOTHING TO MYSELF NOR THE SOCIETY.
THE MEDIA SHOULD ALSO AVOID TO INCULCATE THE IDEOLOGY OF “THE AFFLUENT ARE FIRST PREFERANCE”, THEY DO SO IN ADVERTISEMENTS, HOST SELECTIONS AND BEYOND THAT. THE MORE EXPOSED TO THE RICH, THE MORE MINUTE WE ARE. ALL WE GET IS NOTHING, BUT NOTHING OUT OF IT.
IN THE ABOVE COMMENT I MENTIONED THAT AFFLUENT PEOPLE CAN NEVER ACHIEVE IN TEACHING THE YOUTH TO “LIVE FOR CHANGE”.
I AM APERSON OF PHILOSPHIES AND ONE OF MY PHILOSOPHIES STAES AS FOOLOWS: ” NEVER CHANGE FOR LIVING, RATHER LIVE FOR CHANGE AND NOT FOR A CHANGE”
True, as ideas alone are not enough. Effort, commitment and courage is needed to implemen them. And it will take leaders with on-hand experience of a humble life to solve some of our miseries.
Benjamin Franking on the idea of a single man making a great differnce in the world holds that, such an idea is possible in reality provided that such an individual has a good plan and a great support.
It is also true that we as the youth need role models. I as a student and an aspiring great statesman, faced with the challenges commonly faced by a young person from a disadvantaged background(including my community)find comfort in hope. That hope I get whenever I look at persons who made it big in life from humble beginnings. The challenge is now,I hold, to have more people to look up to who are from previously or currently disadvantaged backgrounds.
WITH RESPECT TO WHAT KABELO MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENT, I AM STRUCK AND INTERESTED IN BENJAMIN FRANKING’S IDEA.
YES, ONE MAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, ACTUALLY EVERYDAY PEOPLE MAKE DIFFERENCES IN THE WORLD, BUT THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE UNSUSTAINABLE. YOU CAN GIVE STREET KIDS HUNDREDS OF RANDS AND COME BACK THE FOLLOWING DAY AND GET THEM THERE DOING WHAT MADE YOU GIVE THEM THE MONEY. WHEN YOU GET EXPERTS WHO KNOW HOW TO WORK IN SHELTERS AND ARE EQUIPED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE OPERATIONS OF SHELTERS, YOU CAN GO HOME AND FIND THOSE KIDS THERE IN THE SHELTER AFTER A WEEK OR EVEN MORE.
WHAT I AM ACTUALLY SAYING IS THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE CHANGES IN PEOPLE’S LIVES AND YET HAVE TO RE-DO THE VERY SAME AGAIN THE FOLLOWING DAY. IF ONE INVESTS IN BRAINS AND SUPPORT OF OTHER PEOPLE, ONE IS AT AN ADVANTAGE OF EVEN GOING BEYOND WHAT ONES PLANS WERE. (TEAM WORK AGAIN APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCESS)
ROLE MODELS IN THIS INSTANCE, MUST BE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACQUAINTED TO SHELTER LIFE AND OPERATIONS, NOT SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF PEOPLE WHO HOLD TOWNS AND CITIES IN THE PALMS OF THEIR HANDS. WITH WHAT WAS STATED ABOVE, WE ARE MEANT TO CHOOSE AND LOOK UP TO PEOPLE WHO DWELL ON THEIR APPALLING BACKGROUNDS AND DEAL WITH THEM THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE, POSITIVELY SO.
With all due respect I think that my learned respondent Mr Mbuyazi is a shy away from my point and the point of my reference when he acknowledges with limited conditions the truth in the idea that ‘a single person can bring about redical changes to the world as we know it’ in my correspondence. I quote him,’YES, ONE MAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, ACTUALLY EVERYDAY PEOPLE MAKE DIFFERENCES IN THE WORLD, BUT THOSE DIFFERENCES ARE UNSUSTAINABLE.
Yes in some instances changes, influences and developments that individuals bring about and stand for are forgoten as soon as their bearers die or are no longer able to implement their convictions, now it is clear that the question should be; what makes them unsustainable? I think the answer is found in the nature of such changes and developments, the characters of people whom they are aimed for as well as the manner in which their bearers implement them(whether they teach them). I believe that a man who can only have influence in the world only when he is still alive and leaves e.g. no legacy of the value of knowledge & virtue for the posterior generation is an exception to the ambit of my correspondence. Such a life is meaningless as it is forgotten as soon as the corpse decomposes. We strive everyday to make long lasting changes and development for the sake of a better life for those who are alive at that present moment and those who are still to be born.
Remember that we hold the idea to be possible subject to the fulfilment of the condition that a GOOD PLAN and support are primary requirements. A good plan should include a way of building a fan base for your ideas so that they may have custodians.
This si something that our traditions and cultures are running short of today, custodians.
Thinking is not always a collective effort, I should think- but influencing people to think may be. So sustainability of a single-man’s teachings and the differences he brought to mankind depends on the manner in which he carried them out among his subjects(also their character), and the nature of such convictions. I write subject to correction.
My comment on the topic is that we are indeed of Role models in our communities that we share our daily lives with,and also share our dreams with.Todays generation need to look at the way we handle our selfs and look at challenges that are facing us as nation in upliftment of our comminities in order to succed.The challenges are many but we need to encourage hard work,dedication and decipline within the communities in order to grow as Society.In exetending those who benifeted in democracy should also play more visible roles with their communities to advance the peoples life.
Thank you Mr. Kabelo for your response. I am at this moment startled by the way you are addressing this issue of role models and sustainability. Yes it is of great incumbency that we acknowledge the work of those who have done something on their own, however, it is also important that we look at how long will the work be effective in our societies.
“…Sustainability of a single-man’s teachings and the difference he brought to mankind depend in the manner in which he carried them out among his subjects…and the nature of such convictions.” Your words are to me saying, The way one has contributed determines the lasting of his efforts, true. How do you determine what is suitable for sustainability?
Here is my response to that; we must look at who benefits and after the benefits what will arise the beneficiary do to uplift the society at large? My example of street kids, previous comment, will be of use once again; If I give one kid, who goes and buys sniffing glue for his crew, a hundred rands and claim I made a difference in the world I am wrong, contrary to that, I am right only if I put this child in a home, give him the necessary life skills and he goes out and does the same for other children, that will be a change made in the whole world.
With reference to my quotation and statement, I take it we are actually lost in our own consesus (Mr. Kabelo and I) which is common in most of our people in deprived societies. A grand look at how affluent people in our societies tend to lure us into their dirty schemes and doings would definately show that it starts with the misranking of the work of such people.
We all know how people complain about the quality of the work of their community counsellors, and still have children who run around saying they want to be like the very same, useless counsellor. This is because of the way in which these people make use of the right people in our societies as fronts to buy our faith to their benefit. CRITICISM IS OF GREAT NECESSITU WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
Thank you Mr Mbuyazi for your critisism, as I believe as you write that it is great necessity if it comes to those who make the world a better place. That I believe is the motive of our discussions. Not really arguements as such that are futile but a sharing of ones experiences, to enrich our minds and have a platform to express your views with those who care.
There is this TV science fiction series called Heroes that was aired on SABC 3 some few months back, it talked or concerned the lives of people who had special abilities and their struggles to belong. One of the episodes concerned the purpose of life and its meaning( of love, hate etc). I quote from the episode and its title;
Episode: How To Stop An Exploding Man
Mohinder Suresh: [narrating] We dream of hope. We dream of change. Of fire, of love, of death. And then it happens. The dream becomes real. And the answer to this quest, this need to solve life’s mysteries finally shows itself. Like the glowing light of a new dawn.
Mohinder Suresh: [other people speaking, then narration continues]
[last lines]
Mohinder Suresh: So much struggle for meaning, for purpose. And in the end, we find it only in each other. Our shared experience of the fantastic. And the mundane. The simple human need to find a kindred, to connect. And to know in our hearts… that we are not alone.
So without distorting the quote, it helps to share views of the mundane for sometimes the solution to our troubles are within each one of us. But note that the this dream comes to a single man and it challenges him alone to defeat his demons and fear in order to stand up and bring about a solution or answer to some of lifes mysteries. In my opinion to deny that there is a truth in the opinion that an individual can make everlasting change to the world as we know it is, to fear challenge and to fail in our objective of encouragin individuals to dream but in turn to deny them hope that they can be what they want to be. We will in other words encouraging dreamers to dream but to flinch when it comes to bringing their dreams to reality for as long as the world would not want to a party to their objectives. This is wrong-we must be able to defeat our demons and the non-believers so that after a while they may take note of our plight of self fulfilment and eventually decide to join us.
THIS IS THE CORRECT VERSION OF THE LAST PART OF MY CORRESPONDENCE.
So without distorting the quote, it helps to share views of the mundane, for sometimes the solution to our troubles are within each one of us. But note that this dream or longing to find purpose for ones life comes to a single man and it challenges him alone to defeat his demons and fears in order to stand up and take that first step towards solving some of lifes mysteries. In my opinion to deny that there is some degree of truth in the opinion that an individual’s initiative can bring everlasting change to the world as we know is, to fear challenge and to fail in our objective to encourage individuals to dream because we in turn to deny them hope, and emotional satisfaction that they can be what they want to be. We will in other words be encouraging dreamers to dream but indirectly conveying a message that they should flinch when it comes to bringing their dreams to reality for as long as the world would not want to be a party to their objectives. This is wrong- despite the world choosing to have nothing to do with our objectives we must be able to defeat our demons and those non-believers so that after a while they may take note of our plight of self fulfilment and eventually decide to join us.
I thank you Mr. Sakong K. I am very much encited as to the beneficiary exchange of ideas we had. Thank you!!
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