The future looks grim for many South Africans, young and old, but more so for the young. The youth has to contend with the harsh reality that no formal education after school leads to a life of struggle and squalor. There is little escape from the cycle of paid servitude that has flourished in post-apartheid South Africa and more people are realising that in order to put food on the table they will have to submit.
The distribution of wealth is becoming increasingly disproportionate to the full disadvantage of the poor and impoverished. Widely voiced opinions show the current displeasure the public has for the worsening situation. To this end there are even factions who have stirred unrest in response to a system that creates a haven for predators to enrich themselves at the cost of others. The root of the problem lies in the fact that those in the lowest ranks of society own only their labour and are at the mercy of whoever is willing to reimburse them for it.
Pleas to the government to remedy the situation more often than not fall on deaf ears and highly-ranked officials are seemingly placed above the law. They have allowed corruption to flourish in the public and private sectors to the extent that personal interests carry more weight in public decisions. Such backdoor dealings have created an environment that allow for abusive practices and policies to avoid scrutiny.
As long as the majority of South Africans have inadequate access to capital proper social support the inequality of the status quo will continue to exist and thrive. Government must implement socially responsible policies and create truly equal opportunities to show the public that it is taking its mandate seriously.