Quinton Mtyala and Francesca Villette
SOUTH Africa commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Soweto uprising by using the day to draw parallels with current struggles in the country, while some called on today’s youth to honour the memory of those whose stand against an oppressive regime started its downfall.
In Bonteheuwel, one of the flashpoints of student protests against the apartheid government, the local civic centre was the focal point of events, including the screening of the documentary of freedom fighter Ashley Kriel’s life, Action Kommandant.
Kriel was murdered by apartheid police in 1987. He was 20 years old.
Kriel’s sister Michel Assure said she still missed her brother immensely.
“It’s a bitter-sweet day for me. Ashley’s death brings back a lot of sad memories, but it fills my heart with joy to see so many people here today,” Assure said.
Late anti-apartheid activist Johnny Issel was also featured in the documentary, and his daughter Ruschka Jaffer said it was moving for her to see footage of her father – images she had never seen before.
“It was really emotional for me to see him so strong and passionate,” Jaffer said.
At the Artscape, hundreds of young people turned up for the Oratorio of a Forgotten Youth– a musical celebration of the youth of 1976.
At UCT, protesters used the commemoration to express opposition to the university’s steps to expel activists involved in the #Shackville protest earlier this year.
When Murphy Morobe, one of the students involved in the Soweto uprising, started speaking at the Molly Blackburn Hall, a half-naked female protester stood beside him holding a placard. Organisers did not remove her, and she was later joined by five others in a silent protest.
In George, the ANC Youth League held a rally at a hall in the Thembalethu township and, later, its supporters marched through the town run by the DA.
At government’s main Youth Day celebration, at Orlando Stadium outside Johannesburg, President Jacob Zuma bemoaned the current nature of protests in South Africa, and how they often turned violent.
Recently, 23 schools were torched in Vuwani in Limpopo by those angered that the area would not have its own municipality, separate from Malamulele.
“I wish to raise the matter of violent community protests again, as these are threatening to destroy the social fabric of our society,” Zuma said.
“We should remember that not a single school was burnt during the June 16, 1976 student uprising. Sadly, we have seen horrible incidents in recent times.”
The SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) called on today’s youth to draw inspiration from the class of 1976.
And, touching on Zuma’s earlier message, Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu said: “Our youth must become intolerant to anarchists who are burning their schools, libraries and institutions of higher learning meant to advance their education and development.
“They need to distinguish anarchy from radical transformation and defend the gains of their hard-won freedom and democracy.”
At the V&A Waterfront, visitors were treated to music and dance with youth from the Rainbow Academy, and famed busker Derek Plaatjies providing the entertainment.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane and several of his party’s officials were at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto, named after the 13-year-old who was the first to die when he was shot by apartheid police. Maimane said his party wanted to celebrate the role of the youth in South Africa’s liberation struggle.
“But what good is celebrating the youth of yesterday when you deny the youth of today their future?” he said.
Speaking at his party’s June 16 rally, EFF leader Julius Malema used the occasion to criticise Zuma.
Malema said the R9 million it cost the SAPS to buy luxury sports utility vehicles for Zuma’s wives could have been used to help the poor.
“Zuma is a blesser. Him and his wives are looting the country and misusing state money.
“The money used to buy his wives cars should have been used for poor communities‚” said Malema.