Embracing diversity, perfecting the generational mix

The DA Youth takes great pride in the value of diversity. Diversity is about bringing the shared knowledge of people, their experiences, perspectives and backgrounds in decision making. It is about being inclusive and using the potency of value to which people add to organisations and society. Diversity is a strength, not a weakness.

It is for this reason that the DA Youth takes exceptional pride in the electoral lists produced by the DA for the upcoming local government elections. Not only have we shown to treasure the value of diversity in race and gender as a critical factor, but also in age. We are perfecting the generational mix.

For the first time in South Africa, a major political party is feeding off the value of individuals as young 20 years old from all backgrounds. These candidates are in electable positions as testimony to our commitment. These are Products of the DA Young Leaders Programmes and our overall broadened search for excellence in the candidate selection process, which seeks to widen the scope of talent we bring into our caucuses. Individuals are chosen for their worth, and not on some arbitrary quota system that falsely rewards people. This is the brilliance of diversity, and the quality and calibre of candidates from young liberals that are on offer to the South African voters.

Many of the youth who participated in the Young Leaders Program have been exposed to a thoroughly intense political course. The course however doesn’t prescribe people to remain with the party, but gives them an opportunity to develop themselves and their own thoughts. It exposes them to the party, and gives them mentorship and leadership opportunities which they must take personal responsibility for. Indeed for some it has taken them as far as Germany, to witness firsthand some of the history of world politics and interacting with international leaders.  And throughout this, many of the young leaders have spread themselves through the party and contributed their own value through personal responsibility, as no recipient of the programme receives any preferential upward mobility by virtue.  Some have left into business, civil society, and elsewhere on the globe. This is the offer of our youth candidates to our caucuses and wards.

But as expressed, we do not only give credence to our Young Leader graduates. Any person is able to join our public reps, if they epitomise our values, vision, have the talent and put in the required effort. It is the reason we have invited people from outside our party to apply to be a public rep for the DA. We believe that if we get the best personnel into public service, talent and hard work must be rewarded, and that diversity is a merit in and of itself. That is how we have forwarded the best youngsters on offer to the South African electorate for public office than any other political party.

We are the only party to have truly embraced diversity in its truest form. And in doing so, young South Africans can be proud to have a party which is truly perfecting the generational mix.

Hlanganani Gumbi

Federal Training and Development Chair