Uncork bridges to a better life in a severely unequal society, sixteen years into a new democratic South Africa. While government employees are striking, the minister of education, Dr Blade Nzimande (depicted in the cartoon below, copied from the Mail & Guardian of 3-9 September 2010, on the front page of the supplement titled 'Training for Life') is hosting high level talks about skills development. Dr Nzimande warned about SA's ticking time bomb (in the main paper page 41) — three to seven million 18- to 24-year-olds that are walking the streets of townships — a situation far worse than 15 June 1976, the eve of the Soweto riots, he believes and voiced fear about a youth revolt. Did the government fail the people the past 16 years?