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In light of the Pondering Panda survey released yesterday indicating that almost two thirds of young South Africans feel that President Zuma should accept Helen Zille’s challenge to a debate, the DA Youth call on the President to reconsider his decision and accept the challenge. A failure to do so would be a subversion of the majority will of his people.
 
Zuma must realize that the days of patronage politics and automatic loyalty are over. The current generation of young South Africans want to make informed voting decisions based on fact and robust debate. A debate between Zuma and the Leader of the Opposition, Helen Zille, would enable young South Africans to make these informed choices. To refuse young people this opportunity would be a subversion of the democratic process.

Zuma has increasingly shown that he is out of touch with young South Africans, who make up over 70% of the population. It started with the refusal of the President to implement the youth wage subsidy, despite overwhelming evidence and support in favour of its implementation. It continued when the President failed to remain in South Africa on Youth Day this year, one of the most important days in South African history.
 
If President Zuma has any concern for or interest in the youth of South Africa he will listen to the majority will of the people and accept the challenge to debate Helen Zille.