December 31, 2020, 12:03 AM
31 December 2020
“… we all want to put this year behind us. There’s no escaping that most of humanity feels brutalised by it.”
Branko Brkic, Daily Maverick Editor-in-Chief
With lockdown declared Word of the Year, that pretty much sums up 2020. Remember when we all thought lockdown was going to be 21 days? We were entirely unaware of the challenges that would beset the entire world in a matter of months. Now, as we bid farewell to the year, here’s a look at some of the stories we thought mattered to young people in 2020.
How young entrepreneurs are surviving the pandemic
SANDISIWE SHOBA
It was a tough year for South Africa’s entrepreneurial and business sector, and tougher for young people who had just dipped their toes into the industry before the pandemic took the country by storm. However, young entrepreneurs found innovative ways to brave the storm and stay afloat. Sandisiwe Shoba unpacked some of the issues in this story of the year.
Racism in our schools has been one of the ugliest issues to emerge in South Africa in 2020. From Brackenfell to Bishops, we saw many problems stemming from a lack of integration and transformation at a number of former Model C and private schools. But amid all these problems young people found their voices on Instagram accounts such as @bhstories and @yousilenceweamplify
When given the platform young people lead conversations about some of the country’s pressing issues. This is what young Daily Maverick writers had to say over the course of the year about South Africa’s state of affairs.
“Freedom for richer or poorer” by Sandisiwe Shoba
“Youth Day 2020: Where are the voices of young South Africans during this pandemic?” by Sune Payné
“Uyinene, your face and name are everywhere a year later and we have not forgotten” by Kate Macmillan
“Freedom day: We have a way to go to be truly free” by Yanga Sibembe
When People Zol, DJ Max Hurrell’s song mocking Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s rationale for banning cigarettes, hit number one on South African iTunes just two weeks after its release.
My Hair, My Heritage: Black women share stories of embracing their natural hair
BY SANDISIWE SHOBA
Sea Point High: Long, hard road to matric achievement
BY SUNE PAYNÉ
The Pavement Bookworm: A story of triumph amid adversity
BY YANGA SIBEMBE
School infrastructure projects on hold as Covid-19 slashes grants
BY AYANDA MTHETHWA
NSFAS administrator gets grilled by committee over allegations of irregular appointments
BY KARABO MAFOLO
Sun-El Musician, an award-winning DJ and music producer, is back with another superb album, To the World and Beyond. It’s been two years his debut album, Africa to the World. He describes the new one as “a continuation of my debut album and is focused on telling a story of healing and hope through dance music”.
On it he collaborates with 26 artists, including Simmy and Ami Faku, to give us a splendid 31-track, two-disc album for December.
Sun-El Musician also had a virtual concert with the featured artists.
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