The Democracy Development Program in partnership with PACSA and DUT Student Union organized a Student Dialogue on the 13th March 2020 and the dialogue was held at the Bessie Head Library in Pietermaritzburg. The Student Dialogue was guided by the theme “Reimagining youth participation as an informed electorate”, this means that students understand the role that they need to play in the general political sphere, in institutions and their communities. In any institution, young people are well informed, and they are able to meaningfully participate in any political, economic and social agenda.
This dialogue was facilitated by DDP’s Associate Facilitator Wiseman Dlamini, alongside the company of DDP’s Partner Liaison Officer Mbalenhle Mkhize and two other DDP Associates Melusi Mahlaba and Sanele Hadebe. The dialogue covered; differentiating between politics and party politics, activity based on young people’s participation in the general electoral system (Institutional SRC Elections, Local Government Elections and Provincial and National Elections), unpacking the terms Ward Committee, Clinic Committee, Community Policing Forum, and Operation Sukuma Sakhe and lastly discussing measures and opportunities for young people to openly participate and discussing the support young people think they need to activate them to participate and be at the forefront of development.