Today, June 16, is National Youth Day, in which the 1976 uprising of youths in South African schools is commemorated. We asked a few youths around Nelson Mandela Bay what they would do if they were to be the president of South Africa for one day.
Cole Swanepoel (12): If I were to be president for a day, I would build homes in all suburbs. The purpose would be so I can give food, water, and blankets for the homeless and less fortunate.
Emma Thiersen: If I were president for a day, I would make the act of judging others illegal, as people should be able to be who they want to be without fear of being judged.
Matthew Thomas (13): If I were president I would make a three-day weekend. I would instruct engineers to build four more power plants so that we can get rid of load shedding. I would also extend the water pipeline from the Western Cape to help with PE ’s drought.
Zeta Hendricks (15): What I would do if I were president for a day? A question that many have thought of, but no-one quite understands the meaning behind . Some youths’ answers may include money, while others include “change”. Well, yes, although change is a big part of leadership, there is one important strategy that people seem to forget and that is integration or more specifically unity. If I were president for a day, my main objective would be unity because unity leads to change. That is what I aim to implement, president or not.
Logan de Reuck (11): If I were president for one day, I would put together a team of software engineers to develop a programme that gives people – that stand outside the post office every day for the whole day in the baking hot sun – money on their phones.
