By Senthati Katlego Zasekhaya
Katlego Kgasi, a 24-year-old activist from Ekurhuleni, was born at extension 6 in Langaville, a shack settlement located in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng.
Langaville is one of the many underdeveloped townships in the Brankpan area of Gauteng’s Ekurhuleni District. It is a place of broken promises. The quality of life is poor and people don’t have access to basic services like water, electricity and proper sanitation. Growing up in that environment meant constantly facing the reality of poverty for
Katlego. “We had to fight just to get electricity and water. The municipality did not care, and we were left to survive on our own,” he says.
When he was born, he was wrapped in love only a mother can give but the moment he opened his eyes, struggle was not a distant concept. “Poverty was not around us. It was us,” he says.
Katlego was raised by a single mother who held their little family through nothing but willpower and love. A woman who carried his survival on her back. Even though his mother did not have money, she made sure he never goes to bed with an empty stomach.
“It would hurt to see her struggle the way she did, carrying the weight of my life on her own, making miracles out of nothing,” he says. Even in that pain, Katlego held on to hope that one day he would be able to change their circumstances and give his mother the life they all deserve.
Pull quote: “Being part of YAMUA changed how I see the world. In townships, young people are misled and the lifestyle that is promoted doesn’t benefit us. We should be fighting for our future, because we are the future-” Katlego Kgasi
Seeking better living conditions, Katlego relocated about 10 km away to Kwa- Thema to stay with his grandmother, a township in the southwest of Springs in the East Rand of Gauteng.
“Relocating changed my life,” he says. “It was a semi-developed place, and at least service delivery was there.” That environment offered him a glimpse of possibility.
Katlego’s awareness of injustice wasn’t sparked in a textbook or a movie— it was lived. “Growing up not being able to afford what other kids had [was painful]. I kept asking myself, why is it like this? And I realised that there’s something wrong with the system.”
This burning desire to question, to understand, and to resist gave rise to his activism. “My passion comes from what I went through, and from seeing others live the same pain. That gave me purpose to advocate for those who don’t have a voice but still want to survive,” he says.
Finding Purpose Through Activism
His journey with MACUA began when he met Gift Radebe, the MACUA National Secretary. At the time, Katlego was doing photography when Radebe invited him to cover one of their events at MACUA.
“When I arrived, I felt like I belong. The stories people shared; they were my stories too. That’s when I realised that this is the space I’ve been searching for,” he says. Today, he serves as the YAMUA Coordinator for the Ekurhuleni branch.
Being part of YAMUA reshaped Katlego’s perspective on life. The movement provided him with tools to mobilise, educate and advocate for his community. He enjoys engaging with fellow young activists, empowering them to speak up, act and believe in their power to create change.
Katlego says there are three comrades that played a valuable role for him when he joined the movements; Radebe, who helped sharpen his voice and purpose, Sabelo Mnguni, National Administrator, who helped him understand the movement and the history of the struggle and Bongani Uhuru, Youth Organiser for YAMUA, who helped ignite the fire in him as a young activist. Through them, Katlego did not just find mentors but parts of himself he never knew existed.
He draws strength from the youth of 1976. “They didn’t wait for freedom to be handed to them. They fought for it. And now it’s our turn. We need to believe in the change we want to see.”
For Katlego, it’s not just about recognition, it’s about action. “We don’t want to be seen; we want to be included. Give us the space to lead and we will show you what we are capable of,” he says. “Those who face injustice shouldn’t wait for change. We are the change. I will fight not only for myself but for every child growing up like I did.”
