Our parents are the heroes

Our parents never had what we have. They were born into apartheid and grew up in apartheid. The eighties were the worst because poverty had struck and that brought conflict and turmoil and our people were desperate to survive. More informants surfaced. We were not only fighting the government that was suppressing us; the government started to breed heartless, cold-blooded killers. Your own neighbour whom you have helped in settling domestic situations now comes to your house to kill your sixteen-year-old brother because he dared to comment about the injustices we all live in. Black was brutally killing black and our people lost themselves.

Our parents were teenagers and young adults during the events that define us as a nation, eg Sharpeville massacre, Soweto riots. Remember the anger you felt watching the movies Cry Freedom, Sarafina, Cry the beloved country. For those three hours you sat there watching, you wanted to rip a white man's heart out, you felt frustrated, caged and furious, to name but a few of your heartfelt emotions. Your anger lasted for a whole week. Our parents were faced with those exact emotions every day. That anger was in everything they did, it even affected their thoughts and dreams, and they were suffocated. We need to acknowledge their hardships and their sacrifices; and we need to love them for that, because they have contributed to what you and I have today. Even though some of our parents were not in the forefront, the events that took place moulded them into what they have become today. And through the bitterness they made a commitment to survive it so that you and I could have a chance in this life.

Truth be told!

Our generation needs to take responsibility for themselves as people who will soon be running this country, as we are now at the stage where we occupy positions that play large roles in our country. As we begin companies and empires that will control the state of the economy of this country, we need to abandon some habits and mentalities that keep us as juveniles and keep us from making calculated decisions which would equip us with knowledge and wisdom that would let us be good representatives of South Africa in the economic circles of this world.

Africa is rising, and South Africa is holding the reins, so how do we, my generation, not contribute our attention and responsibility?

We are a talented nation that has a lot to offer our world with the opportunities we now have from our parents who had none. We owe it to ourselves, but most importantly to past generations, who strived for our generation to be here.

Now here we are, but please be honest: Do we seem like we are ready for that much responsibility?

I don't think enough of us see our existence as that; we still are addicted to sex, money, cars, image and party. We work to get paid to party and maintain image, while we drink, drive, spend then get laid. That is the current system.

We need to make a decision to abandon this system by making calculated decisions and taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions.

Now how do you suggest I begin to tell this story in a constructive and non-derogatory way? Basically, how do I not get my ass kicked (to say the least) by people my age who figure I'm crazy? Or by people who see my point but fear change?

There's a lot to be done, but my people need to be directed and I fear this responsibility. But I've read Who Moved My Cheese (if you haven't read it, find it and read it!). There's a question in the book and it reads, "What would I do if I was not afraid?"

Now I figure I could accomplish a lot and so I live …