As South Africans remember June 16… 50 yrs later the streets are once more filled with protests

South Africans will, next Tuesday, commemorate the 50th anniversary of June 16, a day that remains etched in the country’s history, as a symbol of youth courage and resistance against apartheid. The day marks the 1976 ‘Soweto Uprising,’ when thousands of students from schools across Soweto took to the streets in protest against the apartheid government’s decision to enforce Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Black schools. What began as a peaceful demonstration was met with police brutality, with officers opening fire on the unarmed learners. By the end of the day, an estimated 176 learners had been killed, with young Hector Pieterson believed to have been amongst the first fatalities. The uprising quickly spread across the country, resulting in widespread unrest and an estimated 575 deaths by February, 1977. Internationally, the date is observed as the “Day of the African Child.” Ironically as South Africans prepare to remember this day in the nation’s history, thousands of citizens are again taking to the streets throughout the country, but for different reasons. Concerns over youth unemployment, estimated at around 40% and the issue of illegal immigration have also become a focal point of concern, with protestors alleging that undocumented foreign nationals are taking their jobs and resources. Critics have accused the ANC-led government of failing to adequately address border and immigration control. There are concerns that these demonstrations could lead to violet unrest. Against the backdrop of Youth Day, a reminder of what pain the youth of 1976 went through, it is once more time to reflect on the challenges confronting South Africa’s young people today.

Youth Day Messages from the Youth