Youth Day: Rise Mzansi sounds alarm on gambling addiction among SA youth
As South Africa commemorated Youth Day on June 16, political party Rise Mzansi called for urgent action to combat rising youth gambling addiction.
South Africa.- As South Africans marked Youth Day on June 16, a day meant to honour the power and potential of young people, Rise Mzansi issued a stark warning about a dangerous wave of gambling addiction that is quietly consuming the nation’s youth.
The political party says the issue is spiralling out of control, yet remains dangerously under-addressed by authorities, parents and the broader public.
Youth Day honours the brave students of 1976 who stood up against the country’s apartheid education policies, resulting in massive riots, deaths and injuries.
Speaking at a wreath-laying ceremony in Soweto where the uprising took place decades ago, Rise Mzansi national leader Songezo Zibi described gambling addiction among youth aged 25 to 35 as a “silent crisis” largely ignored by policymakers.
The party focused on the modern-day struggles facing young South Africans, from unemployment and unsafe schools to the gambling industry.
Zibi is now calling for decisive action, tighter regulation of gambling advertising, increased investment in youth economic development and policies that protect young people.
“RISE Mzansi will continue to fight for the South Africa we all deserve, and this cannot be done without working with and listening to young people,” he said, according to IOL.
With youth unemployment hovering near 62 per cent, Zibi urged the nation to invest in long-term solutions rather than quick fixes.
“The youth unemployment rate is just over 62 per cent if you include young people who have given up on looking for work. Let us fund the future, rather than plastering over our current problems,” he said
In the spirit of Youth Day, the party’s message is clear. Just as the youth of 1976 fought for a better future, today’s generation deserves to be protected.
