They were young, full of energy and all they wanted to hear was Julius Malema. They did not care about the "voices of reason" coming from the adults and those who still believe in the politics of the ANC. What was clear on Saturday in the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, where the EFF launched its local government election manifesto, was that young people want change, something that will give them hope for a better tomorrow.As thousands of EFF supporters in their distinctive T-shirts filled the stadium, what was apparent was that South Africa has entered a new political era in which no one party can claim dominance.The political space has been dominated by the ANC since it came to power 22 years ago. It has been the unchallenged master of mobilisation - until Malema entered the race.Remember the days when the ANC could fill up one, two, sometimes up to three stadiums in one day and had no reason to fear a slump in its support among the masses.Those were the days when the ANC was as dominant as the Coca-Cola brand and its leaders were held in high esteem.All the congregants of the broad church, to which the ANC likened itself, sang from the same hymn book.But today it's a different ANC, a different political landscape and a society that is becoming more vocal.The crowd that filled the 40000-capacity Orlando Stadium is indicative of but one of the new political strands in South Africa, and political engagement is becoming more robust. As the saying goes, every generation blames the one before it and the ANC can't escape that.While waiting for Malema to take to the stage, the young freedom fighters sang songs in praise of their liberator and mocked Jacob Zuma, the ANC and all those who still believe in a "broad church" that is no longer relevant.They said they were tired of being told about the liberation struggle and how much past leaders had sacrificed for their freedom.To them, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela opened the doors to freedom and now it's their time to push forward through those doors.Tsepo, a 26-year-old graduate of a Vaal technical college, summed it up when he spoke of his struggle to get a job.He said that because he was not well connected he had not been able to find work and was still relying on his domestic-worker mother for support .Tsepo's story is told 100 times in townships across South Africa, with more and more youths battling to find a job.But what is lost in all this hype about a "better life" under Malema's leadership and his modern-day socialism is how this will be achieved.Since bursting onto the political scene after his expulsion from the ANC, Malema and his brigade have yet to run a municipality.Delivering his election manifesto, the EFF leader said all he wanted from South Africans was "just five years to change the life of a black child".He said it was through municipalities that the real revolution would happen.Basic services should not be politicised. Jobs should not be reserved for the connected and the state should not be ashamed to spend more on the masses, he proclaimed.This is the kind of politics that resonates with most young people today. They want more than the slogans of past heroes - they demand a space at the economic table.As thousands filed out of the Orlando Stadium after Malema's fiery speech, one could not but notice the young faces whose dreams can no longer be postponed.In its response to the EFF launch, the ruling party brushed off Malema and his supporters, saying they were no match for the might of the ANC. But the question is, if they are not a match, why even speak about them?What the ANC needs to do, not only to protect its legacy but its current work in fostering change in this country, is to look at why those who were liberated from the shackles of apartheid are today turning their backs on it. It helps no one in the ANC to simply dismiss as just lost souls the young people who packed Orlando Stadium.We see the same attitude in Cosatu today, with its leaders dismissing efforts by its former general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, to establish a new workers' federation.For South Africa to move forward, it needs mature leaders who are able to read the mood of the people and act accordingly instead of throwing platitudes and insults at those who point at their failings.As head of the government, Zuma should speak in defence of the constitution and the rule of law. He should be the rallying figure that unites South Africans.The government should not fear competition - it should - instead, welcome other voices in the political space.Malema's revolution is not only being televised, it is becoming a fashion statement and a badge of defiance...