2 March 2021

STATEMENT BY THE FORGOTTEN NATION: THE UNEMPLOYED OVER 35 YEARS OF AGE AND
CHILDREN OF THE THIRD WORLD

It’s time to Fix Unemployment. Pledge your support to Fix Unemployment by supporting us to
mobilise for those in similar situations to sign this petition.

This petition is meant to address the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, the Government
and all related stakeholders with invested interest to guard against the abuse of Human Rights
imposed on us by the Government policy of ageism which is the discrimination against people who
are age 35 years of age or older.

We are the Forgotten Nation, the young, the over 35 years of age, the graduates and the non-
graduates whom through age discrimination have been left out of the participation in the economy
by discrimination which involves treating an applicant or employee less favourably because of his or
her age.

We should not in any way be confused with those of our age group who have held employment for a
very long time and only be out of service due to retrenchments like at SAA, the pending SABC
retrenchment and many others who lost their jobs because of the COVID 19 pandemic. We are the
special case, the graduates and non-graduates who had never been offered the opportunity to
participate in the economy in any way or other as a result we have been left out of the economy and
rendered useless. We not only lack the experience needed but we have been idle for years and
through the government policy of ageism we are now rendered useless.

At 35 years of age we want to put it categorically clear without any confusion that through nature
we still have another full 30 years to live for, and as things stand the future not only looks blurred
but scary too. We are at that point that most of us have families which have failed to stand and have
collapsed, and our children no longer recognised as responsible fathers and mothers due to lack of
financial support. This has contributed to most of us suffering mental health disorders and have to
escape the reality of life by taking shelter under political movements, groupings, gangs and
succumbing to peer pressure of drugs and crime.

We are now being used as political tools because we are always available even during the week to go
out and fight political battles. Non-Governmental organisations like political parties have turned us
into their job opportunities as they only come to our areas to pretend to be fighting our struggles,
hence you always have the struggle of the poor fought by the rich because in us is their survival.

Mind you this is done while we are being sold an empty dream that’s full of promises that will never
ever become a reality or fulfilled because when opportunities come we are considered old and
government rejects. Our situation is difficult to make an impression even during interviews because
we have been sitting idle for years while submitting one CV after the other.

During the week we go out in numbers to fill buses and go toyi toyi because that’s the only good
thing left in us. Journalists like the rest, in us they see good coverage and they never question our
availability during working hours as in us like the politicians and NGO’S is their survival not only for
themselves but those of their friends and families.
During elections years we are considered and given cheap T-shirts and free food parcels while we
are crumbling in squatter camps without any privacy or whatsoever and we are asked to vote
because in us is the maintenance of their lifestyle and their wellbeing.

I have therefore started this campaign on social media and I am joined by those who share the same
sentiments like me, we are not a structure nor a formation, we are the Children of the Third World.
The Forgotten Nation and I plead for everyone who is sharing the same sentiments like us to join us
on social media and sign our petition. We are asking for a National Meeting where for once will be
discussed with us in present and our plight be recognised and be taken seriously like the Human
Beings, because Indeed like the rest we were carried for nine months by our Mothers and brought to
life with all the hopes that one day will grow up and became the responsible members of the society
hence they have invested in our education even if they were poor. Only to be turned into zombies by
a man made laws.

END

Issued by: Mmatlou WaGa Tsipa: On Behalf of the Forgotten Nation

Mobile: 073 871 7221

Email: tshepott13@gmail.com

Twitter Handle: @GovtReject

Facebook Group: Over 35 Years Unemployed

The Constitution also provides that national legislation must be enacted to prevent or prohibit unfair
discrimination. This constitutional obligation to give effect to the right to equality has been fulfilled
through the enactment of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (‘EEA’), the Labour Relations Act 66
of 1997 and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000. The
first two statutes deal with discrimination in the employment sphere, while the third deals with
discrimination in the wider society. All individuals in South Africa are protected against age
discrimination.

More

https://www.gov.za/documents/labour-relations-act

https://www.gov.za/documents/human-rights-commission-act

https://www.gov.za/documents/promotion-equality-and-prevention-unfair-discrimination-act#

https://www.justice.gov.za/EQCact/eqc_main.html