Jacques Bona
The youth champion of Lehae library

Jacques Bona in the park in Lehae where he conducts youth meetings, Gauteng © Thom Pierce 2023
Most Actionists would say that it isn’t in their nature to give up. Even after 5 years, Jacques swore that he would never stop campaigning for the Lehae Library to be opened to the public. It may sound trivial but Jacques knows how important a library can be.
During matric, he didn’t have a safe space to study or access to information provided by books and a good wifi network, resources that can be a deciding factor in the education of many young people in South Africa.
“It is up to the community of Lehae to push for change so I had to be an example. I can’t speak about activism without making a change myself. It has to start with me.”
The Lehae Library building was completed in 2018, a grand structure, boldly rising above the small weathered homes that make up the township on the outskirts of Lenasia, Gauteng. But up until recently, the building was never opened to the public. For five years a high fence surrounded it and guards sat at the entrance not allowing anyone in.
With the support of the youth program at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Jacques took it upon himself to get the library opened. Over the years he has marched, picketed and engaged in numerous community discussions. He has approached ministers and counsellors, relentlessly barraging them with questions about why this public building is still closed to the public. Although there are records of budgets and spending, issues were clearly still being covered up.
“I wasn’t raised to give up. I am the type of person who, if I believe in something I stand by it and you will never convince me otherwise. I feel like I had nothing until the day that the library opened. The day it opened to the youth, the community of Lehae felt the victory. I could say “Yes, I did something”.”
On the 25th of May 2023, the library doors were finally opened to the public with a ceremony that did not mention Jacques's hard work and his selfless passion for uplifting the lives of the young learners of Lahae.
“From now on my job is to build an inclusive society where the community is fully involved and aware of what is going on with the library, I will be fighting for it to stay a safe space for all.”
At 23 years old, Jacques is just finding his feet in the world of activism, still learning that it can be a rewarding yet thankless task. The mission to open a local library may seem small but the opportunities that he has opened up are immeasurable.
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