Here’s why we observe Youth Day
Youth Day is a day on which South Africans honour and remembers the youth that were ambushed by the apartheid regime police in Soweto on 16 June 197
June 16 is a public holiday dedicated to the young people of South Africa. But that’s not all, it commemorates the Soweto Uprising.
What was the Soweto Uprising?
The Soweto Uprising was a series of demonstrations and protests led by school children, which came in response to multiple issues with the Bantu Education Act and the 1974 apartheid government which wanted Afrikaans be used as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in schools.
June 16, 1974
On the morning of June 16, 1976 thousands of students went on a protest rally from their schools to Orlando Stadium, in Soweto. They were protesting against an official order, which made Afrikaans compulsory in township schools throughout the country.
The use of local languages was prohibited in these schools whilst the constitution supported that Afrikaans and English be made the official languages of the country. The rally was meant to be a peace protest with the intentions to plea with government not to make Afrikaans compulsory in schools.
Things got out of control when the police were contacted to disperse the crowds and riots broke out.
Youth Day
Youth Day is a day on which South Africans honour and remembers the youth that were ambushed by the apartheid regime police in Soweto on 16 June 1976. On the day over 500 youths were killed. Country wide, on this day celebrations are held for youth.
We remember them
The public holiday got is name Youth Day due to all the young lives lost while fighting and overcoming the inequality and oppression caused by apartheid.
HAPPY YOUTH DAY !
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