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Education is the fundamental tool to knowledge: young political activist

Tired of all the same old politicians crowding the scene this election? In our series of interviews with young activists from various parties taking part in the May 7 elections we give you a heads up on some people who may one day be our country's leaders, in our parliament and our legislatures.

Political Profile

Name: Lyrics Mazibuko
Age: 22
Joined: DA

“My mother died when I was very young and I shared a bedroom with my nine cousins”.

But Lyrics Mazibuko didn’t let that stop him from taking up reading to empower his mind. Now running a Non-Profit Organisation, Lyrics has chosen what some might see as an unusual political route - he’s become a Democratic Alliance activist.

Raised by his grandmother on her pension fund, Mazibuko and the other children had to find means to survive the poverty they lived in.

While attending Dlomo Dlomo Secondary, a dysfunctional school with no resources in his village, Mazibuko said he looked beyond his obstacles and knew he was meant to become something.

The 22-year-old industrial psychology student was born in Nhlazatshe village in Mpumalanga. He believes apartheid was about giving people positions based on their race and 20-years into democracy the only people benefiting are those affiliated to the ruling party.

Mazibuko believes that South Africa is one of the best countries to come up with its own policies but leaders are failing the nation.

“None of us are free and the government does not really engage with us, so it’s not much different from apartheid,” he said.

Mazibuko sighs and smiles when he says he wants to become a politician despite the instability of our current leaders.

“Freedom is the ability to apply yourself and I would really like to up-lift marginalized people,” he said.

“I want to change the status of the country and come up with a structure that will help with poverty, unemployment and inequality by becoming an accountable leader,” says the young activist.

In 10-years-time Mazibuko would like to be the Minister of Education.

“The system we have now is crumbling and does not really fundamentally prepare people for employment and I would raise a generation of innovative thinkers,” said, Mazibuko

He does not believe the matric pass mark of 30% is a good thing when one is expected to pass with 50% at university “I will rather have seven people pass with 50% and be able to apply the concept than having a higher matric pass rate, cause I believe we’re losing good thinkers, for example your Steve Jobs and Aristotle,” said Mazibuko

Mazibuko said he’s going to remain in the DA structure, becoming more educated and gaining more knowledge, then apply for positions when opportunities open.

“You cannot develop people if they don’t understand the varying fundamentals of development. Let them know how they are going to benefit when you implement a project, for example the e-tolls. South Africa is not a monarch state,” he said

The DA young activist and DA Student Organisation leader, knew that education would turn his life around after his late uncle forced him to take up reading books as a hobby, after he failed grade one at age six.

“He forced me to read every day and I started reading different texts and since then I have never looked back,” he said.

He believes education is the fundamental tool to knowledge, “but I wish young people could find their niche and become innovative thinkers and take part in elections whether for the ruling party or against it, they will find answers and the essence of living,” said Mazibuko.

“I wouldn’t say I want to be an ideal politician but to be an ideal leader and use politics as a vehicle to my leadership skills,” says Mazibuko.

Click here learn about another young activist

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