Pretoria – The hopes of South Africa’s future development lies in its youth, ANC MP and anti-apartheid veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said on Tuesday.
“Today we remember abantwana base (children of) 1976 who gave us this freedom we have. To be here, marking this day is very touching for me,” Madikizela-Mandela told reporters as she arrived for the annual National Youth Day at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria.
“This is quite a celebration. Youth are the future of this country so it is important for us to give them hope. We look forward to them taking over the mettle.”
President Jacob Zuma, accompanied by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, is leading the national Youth Day celebrations in Pretoria.
Held under the theme “Youth Moving South Africa Forward”, this year’s commemoration marks 39 years since the 16 June 1976 uprisings.
On this day, in 1976, a group of school children set off from Morris Isaacson High School in Orlando, Soweto, to protest over Afrikaans being the medium of instruction, among other grievances against the apartheid government.
There was a standoff with police, who opened fire on the children.
The township was sealed off and attacks on government buildings followed; as well as the flight of many youths and political leaders into exile.
This day is now commemorated as Youth Day. - ANA