The Constitution is only a piece of paper, if those tasked with implementing it failed to do so and if citizens do not use  to advance social justice. Should this be the case then the document would remain a paper tiger with little effect on the lives of ordinary people.

This was the message from Professor Pierre de Vos, when he took part in a panel discussion at the Lebone Leadership Festival in Phokeng in the North-West Province on 6 July 2016. Hisco-panelists were Supreme Court of Appeal Judge LO Bosielo and Black First, Land First leader Andile Mngxitama. Rorisang Tshabalala, UCT's SRC president, asked the questions.

About 140 grade 11 learners from across South Africa and Botswana attended the week-long festival, organised by Lebone College.

Lebone College was set up and is partly funded by the Royal Bafokeng Nation. The festival, now in its fifth year, brings together students from different schools, communities and backgrounds to share in a week of workshops, presentations, discussions, forums, site visits, readings, team-building and leadership exercises.

The aim of the festival is to provide exposure to an interactive leadership programme in which young adults (16 – 17 year olds) from a wide variety of backgrounds, including rural and urban spaces, are able to attend. Attendees are introduced to many influential and dynamic leaders within the South African context and have the opportunity to hear from these leaders as well as to interact with them.

“It was an inspiring day,” said De Vos, “Anyone who spent a day with these passionate, inquisitive and eager young leaders would be filled with hope for South Africa’s future.”