Teachers remember 1976
The teachers of Mageme Primary School in Sekgakgapeng village dressed-up in school uniforms last Wednesday in honour of Youth Day.
LIMPOPO – This follows after thousands of school children in Soweto, protested the apartheid government’s decision that they be educated in Afrikaans on 16 June 1976.
However, the police and armed forces responded to the protest violently and the first fatality of the day was Hector Pieterson, a 12-year-old pupil who was shot by the police. It is believed that 175 others were also killed that day and the apartheid system was shaken irrevocably.
Youth Day takes its name from the energy and courage of those young heroes.
The Principal Salomé Mokonyama said to the learners: “You are the leaders of tomorrow! Dedicate yourself to work hard, respect your educators and yourself, stay away from drugs and alcohol. Be brave enough to say you can achieve anything by working hard and being determined. Youth Day is a reminder of the people who stood up and fought for your future, do not let them down”.
Learners excitedly raised questions with regards to the Soweto Uprising and the teachers shared their knowledge with them.
Moliki Seanego (Admin Clerk), said: “It took a single day for young South African’s to change the course of the country’s history, setting us on the path to democracy. That day was 16 June 1976.”
