Youth Day South Africa 2024: Why do we celebrate this day?
Youth Day is a public holiday in South Africa, honoring young adults who opposed the apartheid regime and helped Mzansi attain independence. The police killed and jailed many Black young people during the 1976 Soweto Uprising riots led by Black South African high schoolers. Read on to learn more about Youth Day in South Africa, the riots, and their consequences.
Source: UGC
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This article explains the Soweto Uprising riots, which are a significant part of the history of Youth Day South Africa. You will also learn what happened after the protests and how South Africans celebrate Youth Day.
What happened on Youth Day South Africa?
On June 16, 1976, high school students began protests against Afrikaans becoming the medium of instruction in local schools. Around 10,000 Black students marched toward Soweto's Orlando stadium in the morning to oppose the White government's oppressive education laws. Consequently, many Black children lost their lives in the demonstrations when the police intercepted them with ammunition and tear gas.
Youth Day's history in South Africa
Tension rose in Mzansi when the colonial government enacted the Bantu Education Act in 1953. The law ended missionary schooling for African children and codified segregated schools. Furthermore, it supported a racist curriculum that molded Black children into manual laborers to serve the ruling class.
Consequently, the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) and the South African Students Organization (SASO) raised the political consciousness of many Black South African students.
Things blew out of proportion when the British colonialists laid down the 1974 Afrikaans Medium Decree that forced Black students to learn Afrikaans.
The government wanted Afrikaans and English to be mandatory instructional languages in Black township schools where White students were minorities. Africans did not take it kindly because they considered Afrikaans as the "oppressor's language."
As a result, black South African high school students in Soweto mobilized themselves to protest against the 1974 Afrikaans Medium Decree.
The Soweto Uprising protests
Backed by BCM, the South African Students Movement's Action Committee mobilized Black students for a peaceful protest. Between 3,000 and 10,000 students were marching to Soweto’s Orlando stadium on June 16, 1976, when they met heavily armed police who ordered them to stop marching.
The determined students defied the police's orders. Chaos erupted when the police unleashed a dog and fired tear gas at the protestors. The dog died in the riots as students scattered in all directions. The police began firing gunshots at the crowd amid the confusion.
Who died on 16 June 1976?
15-year-old Hastings Ndlovu was killed in the riots, while Mbuyisa Makhubo took the 12-year-old Hector Pieterson's body to a nearby clinic after police shot him. Photographer Sam Nzima of The World newspaper captured Mbuyisa and Hector's sister carrying the body. The image evoked sadness in millions of souls worldwide.
The protests intensified when the police fired teargas and live bullets at the demonstrators. The rattled students poured their anger on public properties, vandalizing anything associated with the apartheid government, including beer halls, vehicles, and buildings.
The White government reported that the police killed twenty-three students, but hospitals estimated that 176 to 700 young adults died in the riots.
Source: UGC
The Soweto Uprising's consequences
The 1976 Soweto Uprising riots plunged the entire country into violence. Business tycoons affected by the demonstrations forced the government to ban liberation movements.
However, some anti-apartheid political organizations like the African National Congress (ANC) and Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) continued to recruit young Black adults discretely and gave their military training.
These political organizations established secret Black military camps in Botswana, Swaziland, Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
The parties illegally sneaked the young people outside South Africa for military training and brought them back as guerrilla fighters to attack the White government.
Many anti-apartheid activists and juveniles were arrested and jailed. The activists later got international support that pressured the colonial government to drop racist laws.
Upon attaining independence from colonial rule in 1994, June 16 became a public holiday in South Africa and was named Youth Day.
How is Youth Day celebrated in South Africa today?
South Africans celebrate Youth Day in many ways. Most families and friends celebrate from home, at places of worship, or at entertainment joints. Others engage in various charity activities like visiting or sending donations to orphans, the sick, the elderly, and the needy. Meanwhile, most young people engage in some of these Youth Day activities:
- Hiking
- Camping
- Musical concerts
- Youth mentorship programs
- Interactive diversity workshops
- Youth art exhibition
- Community outreach projects
- Public health sensitization programs
Facts about Youth Day in South Africa
Countries worldwide celebrate International Youth Day annually on August 12. Although Mzansi celebrates this day, it is not a public holiday in this country. SA has a special annual June 16 Youth Day holiday, which is significant for the country's independence. Read below facts about Mzansi's June 16 public holiday:
- The annual June 16 Youth Day public holiday commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising, anti-apartheid protests led by Black high schoolers in Soweto.
- The holiday honors the youth who participated in the three-day Soweto Uprising protests from the morning of June 16 to June 18, 1976. About 10,000 students took part in the protests.
- The holiday honors Mzansi youth who died and got hurt in the riots. The protestors were met with fierce police brutality, and many were shot and killed. About 176 students were killed, and there were almost 700 fatalities.
- Hector Pieterson, the schoolboy the police killed in the Soweto Uprising protests, internationally symbolizes the consequences of oppression. Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum is in Orlando West in Soweto.
- The South African government named June 16 Youth Day during Nelson Mandela's regime. ANC supporters initially called it Soweto Day.
- Nelson Mandela officially declared Youth Day a public holiday in 1995.
- The June 16 Youth Day public holiday inspires the South African government to enact strict human rights laws prohibiting racism, oppression, and discrimination.
- June 16 is internationally known as the Day of the African Child (DAC). The DAC was first initiated by the OAU (Organization of African Unity) in 1991.
- Every June 16, governments, NGOs, international organizations, and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of children's rights in Africa.
- The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) yearly acknowledges the day through its Youth Action for Economic Freedom in Our Lifetime program.
- The 2024 June 16 Youth Day marks 50 years since the Soweto Uprising happened on June 16, 1976.
Source: UGC
What does Youth Day mean in South Africa?
Youth Day is a commemoration of the youth who suffered during the apartheid regime. South Africans reflect on the massacre of Black school children during the Soweto Uprising riots of 1976.
Why is Youth Day important?
The annual June 16 Youth Day public holiday honors South African young adults who protested against the British apartheid regime and helped the country attain independence.
Is Youth Day a public holiday?
June 16 is a public holiday in South Africa, and it is named Youth Day. The country celebrates August 2 International Youth Day with the rest of the world but does not consider it a public holiday.
Why do people celebrate World Youth Day?
The August 2 International Youth Day draws attention to a set of cultural and legal issues affecting youth worldwide.
When was Youth Day first celebrated?
Nelson Mandela's newly-elected democratic government declared June 16 a Youth Day public holiday to honor the South African youth who lost their lives during the Soweto Uprising.
What was the youth revolution in South Africa?
Protests held by high school students in Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, were titled the Soweto uprising. Almost 10,000 students participated, and hundreds lost their lives and sustained severe injuries from police gunshots.
What are some inspiring Youth Day quotes?
Below are ten inspiring Youth Day quotes you can use in your speech:
- The fire within the hearts of youth lights the path to a brighter future.
- The dreams of today’s youth pave the way for a better tomorrow.
- Youth is the canvas upon which the masterpiece of tomorrow is painted.
- The youth are the architects of tomorrow’s world.
- In the hands of youth lies the power to shape destinies.
- Youth is not a phase; it’s a revolution waiting to happen.
- The potential of youth knows no bounds; it's limitless.
- Every great accomplishment starts with a youthful dream.
- With passion as their guide, youth can conquer any obstacle.
- The dreams of youth hold the key to unlocking a world of possibilities.
Appreciate Youth Day South Africa by embracing sacrifice and martyrdom like those who died for this country. Build a non-racial society and support young adults because the country needs these change agents.
Briefly.co.za shared the South African school calendar. The Department of Basic Education shares an updated academic calendar annually. The calendar includes school opening and closing days and school holidays.
The academic calendars of public and private schools differ slightly. For example, public schools have four terms per academic year, while private schools have three or four terms, depending on the institute.
Source: Briefly News
