South Africa Elections 2014: Why the youth should vote

Politicians at the Daily Maverick's The Gathering Conference in Johannesburg.

With the Economic Freedom Fighters appealing to many young voters, political party leaders were asked to motivate why the youth should vote for them.
African National Congress election head Malusi Gigaba said the youth in this country were impatient, but there were four reasons why they should vote for the ruling party.
"We have a plan. The ANC has never gone into an election without a plan," he told the Daily Maverick Gathering Conference at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg.
"Secondly, we have a track record."


Gigaba said the ANC had delivered services to people and yet had been honest enough to admit when there had been shortfalls.
The third reason why the youth should vote for the ANC was because the party had experience in government and running a democratic country, he said.
The ANC also had a vast leadership of young, old, women and men who had the necessary experience to run the country.

A number of political leaders attended the gathering, which was the election edition.
Those present included Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille, Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele, and Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Julius Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters did not attend although it was invited.
Ramphele said the country needed to offer young people a path where they could develop their talents. This was something her party was doing, she said.

The Agang leader said she was against the youth subsidy. She believed in education, on the job training and allow small and medium enterprises to thrive.
"Agang focuses on effective governance. [It] will make sure your tax money and your grandparents' tax money is not stolen for things like fire pools," Ramphele said.
Although Vavi was not the leader in a political party, he said in his opinion there would not have been an EFF if it had not been for the internal problems in the ANC.
It was a problem that a great number of young people had not registered to vote.

"No one has inspired them. There will be a moment again when the youth will believe in politics... [but] at the moment we have missed the boat."

Zille said bad governments were elected by good people who did not bother to vote.
She urged young people to read political parties policies.
"Examine policies of parties which have been tried and tested. Vote for a party with the best and viable option to beat poverty."
Zille said this party was the DA.

Source: Daily Maverick