lame duck

For a country with as rich a political history as South Africa, it's a nation that can seem very bland at times. As the ANC cake walk to another victory at the polls you can't but wander where the next generation of politicians in this great nation will come from.

Millions live in continual fear of the ANC's militant, radical and still youthful Julius Malema but there's no alternative being offered up elsewhere. Few if any young South Africans seem genuinely interested in meaningfully engaging in politics. In fact youth culture in South Africa can feel as shallow as it is narrow at times and does a fantastic impersonation of the banal and comfortable youth culture peddled by American soaps and sappy teen dramas: off beat bohemian posturing on the outside, yet driven by a steady, conventional and excruciatingly mundane corporate beat.

There seems to be such an obvious opening as the struggle veterans of the ANC grow older and more corrupt and the DA makes inroads but will never truely win the hearts of those that experienced apartheid. Where is the young party waiting in the wings, ready to embrace the ideologies of the struggle and update them for the new, united, young South Africa?

Or do we have to accept that the best we can muster is the Cape Party? That the pinnacle of our year will still be the arrival of Coldplay? And that for some the arrival of Starbucks will be the final advent of true democracy.

Maybe Apartheid has left a legacy of apathy amongst some young people here. They'll continue to live in their bubble until it is popped around them and Malema slips in. At which point there will be a mass bailout to Perth and the fingers pointing to 'them'. 'Them' who ruined 'our' perfect country.

'Us', who never thought to engage in the first place.