The youth of today…

What does 16 June mean to you? We asked our Fellows to reflect on the significance of this historic event and share their thoughts on the day.

Aminah Malaza (Limpopo)

When I was growing up, freedom day was just another holiday for me. It was a day when I would see adults get drunk in their old school uniform. After I was taught about the importance of this day in grade 4 history, it ended there. Over the years, as the message was thoroughly hammered into my mind, I started to appreciate what the youth of 1976 did for us.

However, we still have a long way to go. The quality of our basic education, the schools that are still using pit latrines, the small number of textbooks, high dropout rates etc are things that we still need to work on to ensure that the next generations prosper. Of course one would argue that we are getting free education, but is it free if there are still many hurdles we have to overcome? The 1976 youth paved a way for themselves and as the youth of 2023, we also need to pave our own way.

Precious Thatane (Limpopo)

I watch ‘Sarafina’ every year on the eve of Youth Day, religiously. It is the closest most accessible archive of the times and events that the youth of 1976 lived through. It is important for me to remember. I must remember that in the face of adversity and the eye of the bullet, the youth of 1976 saw it fitting to march forward and fight for better education standards not only for themselves but for those that would come after them. I imagine that this mammoth of a task wasn’t carried out without fear, they must have been trembling and terrified of the police brutality and the possibility that they could be marching straight to their last breaths, which was unfortunately the case for others, but they did not retreat. They selflessly marched forward. I commemorate the Youth Day by wearing a school uniform on the day. It is a way of saying to the youth of 1976 that I remember. I remember their sacrifices and I am grateful. The standard of education that the millennial youth is exposed to is impeccable and I recognise that it was not for free. It was paid for with blood, sweat and tears. Their footprints remain the true north, lighting and guiding the way as the youth of today navigate the challenges of today in the education sector including the Fees Must Fall movement. In a perfect world, there should never be an ideal for which anyone is prepared to die for, but the trailblazers of 1976 remind us daily that in the face of injustice and adversity, one should never fold. Amandla, awethu!

Khesse S. Mashego (Limpopo)

I’m not really excited about the day June 16. After the struggle the youth of 1976 have been through, it looks like today we forgot the purpose of it. Even the celebration of this day deviates from the whole purpose of why we have this day. Before the generation of today, our black parents were oppressed by the government system. In schools they were forced to study everything in Afrikaans which wasn’t their home language, but it favoured white people. They studied under trees and walked long distances to school with bare feet; however, as strong as they were, they couldn’t let that experience pass to us. Hence they fought for us, some died in the struggle and others still have trauma from those years. I used to think that everything about the day June 16 is fine. I joined people at the clubs celebrating this day with alcohol and different flavours of hubbly bubblies until I did more research about this day. I’m no longer happy about the day June 16, to me it’s just a day that leaves a big disappointment to the souls that fought for us.

Mary-Anne Sithole (Gauteng)

For me June 16 1976 was a game changer,a possibility opener. It displayed and is a reminder of the power we young people have to change the world and that determination goes a long way. This fact was sealed by the blood shed on that day and it’s unfortunate that it had to come to that. As a South African youth I cannot only change the future,I am the future.

Hamese Sesepe Hilda (Limpopo)

Many years ago a woman gave birth and the child was named apartheid. This child brought torture, racial segregation and sorrowful tears to black South Africans. This child brought about resilience of oppressed communities. June 1976 arrived, this day holds an immense significance for me as a black South African. I usually call it a “remembrance day “because it is a day I reflect back on the sacrifice and bravery of those who came before me and fought tirelessly for my freedom and liberation. It fills me with pride that their sacrifice did not go in vain. The bloodshed and sweat of the youth of 1976 gave birth to freedom, a child whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of South Africans to come.

Buntu Makhedama (Gauteng)

When the youth from Soweto took to the streets fighting the full might of the apartheid police system, they reminded old people in black communities who initially condemned them that the fight for freedom has not been won yet. What started in Soweto spread like wildfire to other areas of South Africa. This day is more than just a holiday for me. It serves as a reminder that without a liberated and politically conscious youth, the state of the country will remain stagnant. Currently the youth suffer from unemployment. Despite their levels of education, there are still no jobs enough to curb unemployment. This means that the government of today has discredited the efforts of 1976. The holiday has lost its significance as the youth remain unemployed.

It was the youth of 1976 that shaped the future of this country, and it will be the youth of today that will determine the future of this country as well. This day reminds me that the youth have power at their disposal and if used right they can end the unemployment we face today. They can end the power crisis we have today as well. We must do like the 1976 youth and take matters into our own hands and make the change that is needed in this country. When the youth realise their power they will restore the dignity of this day, June 16.

Mbali Nyabane (Gauteng)

June 16 was the turning point of the weakening of the apartheid, it can be said that it was the pressure that was needed for the apartheid to end. It was the strength of the students and them being courageous that gave birth to the holiday that we have today.

This is why I appreciate the start of June 16, the courage of the students who decided to take a stand and fight for the freedom that we possess today.

I say that the blood of those many children that have been spilled on our African soil is not forgotten for they shall live forever in our textbook history and have the pleasure to be taught to the next generation.

June 16 is not just a day, it is more than that, it is the birth of the unity that the students showed and it shall remain a special day so that we can all celebrate not only the students who had become victorious but also to celebrate the lives that we have lost at the start of the uprising.

Tell us: what does June 16 mean to you?

Read here about why June is called youth month here

7 Responses

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Reapons · 2 months ago

Freedom day or mainly Youth day also known as June 16,is a public holiday in South Africa which is celebrated every year. When we look back in the days of apartheid era , we come across facts that the pupils had to be taught in Afrikaans language . The youth didn't understand why would they have to be taught in the language that they are not familiar with. So in this case , almost everything favoured white pupils. In 1976 June 16,the black pupils decided to protest to fight against being taught in Afrikaans. Some learners died in that day of protest and this was written in the books of history , that the children was killed for fighting for freedom. Films like Sarafina were created in order to tell us more about the struggle pupils faced at the school of apartheid era. That is why even today you would see people wearing school uniforms to celebrate the day.

Asnath Kolobe · 10 months ago

To be precise and honest with you June 16 mean normal day like any other days of a week. Is there any transformations in educational system since June 16, 1976? How should I celebrate this day, where some people lost their lives in death? I don't see a reason for celebrating this day because nothing much has changed except that Afrikaans is no longer a primary language at schools. Other than that no changes S.A's educational system is poor. If they knew better that their struggle would be in vain they wouldn't sacrifice their lives in death!

Sthembiso Msezane · 10 months ago

Nothing really expect that children fought on 1976 Soweto uprising and black children seeking consciouseness , sacrifices and hardship which they went through which is something we will be grateful for

Zanele Mathonsi · 10 months ago

It means remembering the youth of 1976 that sacrificed their lives for us to get the right to free education. Happy Youth Day South Africa ❤️.

Letlhogonolo Kotsedi · 10 months ago

June 16 is a day of remembrance of the sacrifices made by the youth of 1976. I commend them for their bravery,resilience and doing so fighting to death.😭😭😭🇿🇦💪. They changed the narrative for future generations and I'll always be grateful for that.♥️♥️Happy Youth Day♥️♥️♥️

Sisipho Hlahlana · 10 months ago

June 16 means the remembrance the youth of 1976 today i can able to learn or choose every subject i like without panicking. Nobody would force me to learn every subject using Afrikaans because the youth of 1976 fought for us for a better education. They banned Bantu education that's is why i would always celebrate this day every year .youth of 1976 died for us how could we forgot about Hector Peterson a young boy who died for fighting our freedom.when i say i will celebrate this day every year i'm talking about drinking beer i'm talking embracing the job which they did back then.# happy youth day indeed they were right when they sang freedom is coming tomorrow South Africa is better that those day no more Apartheid.

Evah Ngobeni · 10 months ago