Newcastle Mayor addresses the town’s youth
Cllr Mahlaba has called on young people to ‘continue the marathon’ started by the youths of the 1976 Soweto uprising.
In a message to the youth of Newcastle, Mayor, Ntuthuko Mahlaba has urged them to ‘take up the baton’.
While wishing young residents a happy Youth Month – celebrated for the duration of June – Cllr Mahlaba called on the town’s youths to ‘continue the marathon’ started in the 1976 Soweto uprising.
The youth was at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid.
“This month, we commemorate a gallant generation which only feared the chains of inequality, injustice, poverty and segregation.”
Quoting American civil rights activist, Mary McLeod Bethune, Cllr Mahlaba commented on the potential in youth to have the ‘courage to change old ideas’ and ‘direct their power towards good ends’.
“Ideally, any institution which prides itself on making progress is one which invests in its youth. As a municipality, if we invest in young people and if we do it right, once is enough.”
Cllr Mahlaba went on to say Newcastle Municipality understands the struggles faced by young people today, and will at all times continue to rally behind them.
“Let us unite and protect our children from violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse,” he concluded.
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