This year marks the 50th anniversary of the June 16 Youth uprisings of 1976 which marked a turning point in the history of South Africa. Whilst the trigger for the Soweto uprising was the decision of government to make Afrikaans a medium of instruction in certain selected subjects, the activities of the day changed the political landscape of the country and contributed to the ushering of freedom.
This year’s theme is “RESET @50 – Our National Commitment to the Future for Freedom Lives in Every Generation”
To mark Youth Month, Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile said, “we want to take this moment to appreciate and remember the generation of 1976 which helped propel our country to freedom. Their sacrifices and actions on the day and beyond changed the course of history and catapulted the youth into the centre stage. From then on, the youth became the face of resistance”.
MEC Maile emphasised that the youth of Soweto took the lead and this sparked nationwide protests and as a result, many lost their lives, others arrested while a huge number left the country and went to exile.
“We are grateful to this generation because their heroic acts led to international disapproval of what the apartheid system did to unarmed schoolchildren. The actions of the apartheid regime were strongly condemned when the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 392 which reaffirmed apartheid as a crime against humanity and a threat to international peace and security. From this moment on, the country gained solidarity from the international community and enjoyed solidarity from many fronts”, continued MEC Maile.
“We are pleased that government has taken a decision to host the national event in the province of Gauteng where it all started. As we prepare to welcome thousands of people for the June 16 commemoration, we do so with the understanding that significant strides have been made to provide youth with opportunities to better their lives. In Gauteng we will continue with our efforts towards
championing youth development and creating sustainable opportunities for young people”, said the MEC.
MEC Maile further said, government acknowledges that challenges such as youth unemployment, poverty, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and inequality continue to persist and for them to be adequately addressed, an integrated approach is required. He added that this will serve as a befitting remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives and serve as a source of encouragement to current and future generations.
“As part of the activities to bring society on board, we have started a campaign called, “It Takes A Village To Raise A Child”, wherein we are visiting communities across the province to engage directly with people. We want to use the moment to remind our communities about the importance of education and tackling societal challenges and ask them to be part of the journey. We are happy that communities are responding positively to this call and by the time we finish the engagements, we would have galvanized many people to be part of the effort to build a better future for our children”, said MEC Maile.
Various activities are planned in the province of Gauteng for the Month which will culminate in the main event on June 16 to be held at the FNB Premium Parking (the open field adjacent to the FNB stadium in Nasrec.
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