Pretoria - The youth of today have been urged to get out of the bedroom and clubs and continue building and growing the young democracy of the country with the sticks and stones used by the class of 1976.
This plea was made by one of the leaders of the 1976 Soweto uprising, Seth Mazibuko, while addressing learners attending the Youth in Intergenerational Society dialogue at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria.
Mazibuko, a representative of the June 16 Development Foundation, said he was part of the action committee that planned and led the march on that historic day.
An emotional Mazibuko recalled how he was sent to Robben Island at the age of 16 and served seven years, as well as being placed in solitary confinement for 18 months before being sent to prison.
Mazibuko said he was attending the programme in order to get into a “spiritual connection”with those who laid down their lives for the country to be where it is today.
He said, for him, it was a sad day to remember, as some people did not realise how much the cost of democracy was, because children as young as 13 had died for that cause.
“One thing I regret is taking children out of the classroom and leading them out to be killed. I always think, how do I apologise to Hector Peterson’s family, to Hastings Ndlovu, as they could be fathers today?
“It hurts today to see that many of our young people are not even enjoying the fruit of the tree of liberation that we watered with our blood, and that’s what brings tears to my eyes."
Mazibuko said he wished he could forget that day. However, he could not, as his grandchildren were still “suffering and experiencing a lot”.
He said, working with young people, he still saw the suffering of the many youths living in shacks, exactly where his fellow learners had died.
“Please young people, get out of the bedroom and get into the boardroom. Please get out of the clubs and get into the classroom."
“We fought and brought this freedom to you through blood. Now, let that blood become sweat and protect this small democracy with your sweat.”
Freedom Park CEO Jane Mufamadi said the programme was for religious communities and traditional healers, and different faiths had come together to pray for unity of the country.
Mufamadi said the youth dialogue with elders who were part of the class of 1976 came to reflect on the day, with the young people encouraged to discuss how they see their role in building the nation. She said the dialogue was crucial as they wanted to revive the spirit of selflessness.
Pretoria News