Education lobby group, Equal Education, says while the President’s story of Tintswalo is an inspiring one, it is not the reality of many South African scholars.
During his State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa created a calligram of the first 30 years of democracy, through the life of a child called Tintswalo born in 1994.
The President says she grew up in a society governed by a constitution rooted in equality, the rule of law, and affirmation of the inherent dignity of every citizen.
Tintswalo, and many others born at the same time as her, Ramaphosa said, were beneficiaries of the first policies of the democratic state to provide free health care for pregnant women and children under the age of six.
However, Equal Education’s Researcher, Stacey Jacobs, says while Tintswalo was also one of the nine million learners who benefit from the country’s National School Nutrition Programme, her tale doesn’t mirror that of many black children who attend rural schools, where buildings are dilapidated and unsafe.
Jacobs says learners from over 700 schools across the country are forced to use pit toilets as their only form of sanitation, in which some have fallen inside of them and died.
She says the lack of libraries is one of the many bleak challenges the learners face, which is a stark contrast to Tintswalo’s reality.
The governing ANC’s youth wing, however, believes that young people definitely resonate with the story of Tintswalo – who is democracy’s child.
The ANCYL’s national spokesperson, Zama Khanyase, says the nagging issue is the high youth unemployment rate, which will be a thing of the past once the economy is strengthened.
Social media users have also expressed their views to the story of Tintswalo.
Tintswalo school toilets…😔 pic.twitter.com/gbXa5TNfPr
— Vladimir Sphithiphithi Evaluator 🇿🇦 | 🇷🇺 (@MasilelaDr) February 9, 2024
This is Mr Phiri.A Teacher from Mathibela,Bushbuckridge.Waking up early to assist Learners Like Tintswalo cross thw river to school #SaluteMrPhiri Can We Make Him Trend for his good heart#SONA2024 State Of The Nation Address Julius Malema The EFF pic.twitter.com/RDjZFWwSlO
— IG:Joy-Zelda (@joy_zelda) February 9, 2024
Here is a video of Tintswalo going to school this morning @CyrilRamaphosa
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 9, 2024
Here is a video of Tintswalo going to school this morning @CyrilRamaphosa
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) February 9, 2024
Tinswalo is also deeply frustrated by the weeks of power outages in her township in Ekurhuleni. She is scared to walk at night because the lights on MC Botha Dr are just ornaments. She is forced to negotiate the rivers of sewage on her way to sell food at the taxi rank. https://t.co/Q1Ux0yoH8X
— Phindile Kunene🇵🇸 (@kunenephindz) February 8, 2024
For those who keep asking why do people keep voting for the African National Congress, Tinswalo’s story should answer you. Inspite of everything….#SONA2024
— Responsible Father of Three!!! 🇿🇦 (@AndileMlondo) February 8, 2024
THE REAL STORY OF TINSWALO:
1. She does not own land
2. She is charged higher interest rates by banks
3. She still owes NSFAS
4. She experiences racism daily at work
5. Her friends & relatives are unemployed graduates
6. She still has not attained economic freedom
…#SONA2024— Fumisa Ngqele (@FumisaNgqele) February 8, 2024
Just two weeks ago The Real Tinswalo said this before the thief lied yesterday pic.twitter.com/6UBMkoKo6T
— Man’s Not Barry Roux (@AdvBarryRoux) February 9, 2024
The real #StateOfTheNation #SONA2024
The real #Tinswalo pic.twitter.com/y7w65eUhuM
— Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster (@NobuntuSA) February 9, 2024
We highlight Tinswalo’s wide scale dependence on the state; which made sense, given our history. But 30 years on, a prudent government’s targets should orient towards getting more Tinwalos to transcended into upward mobility & become net contributors, not dependents of the state.
— møshele køenaite 🇵🇸 (@iMoshele) February 9, 2024
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