On 16 June, South Africa and the world honours the youth who put themselves in harm's way to demand a better life. In South Africa, the day is known as Youth Day (previously Soweto Day) whilst internationally it is celebrated as the International Day of the African Child.

The significance of 16 June begins in 1976, with a protest by black students against the use of Afrikaans as the language used in the schools. They gathered outside the various schools and planned to march to Orlando stadium. This was planned to be a peaceful march and was organised by the Soweto Students' Representative Council's (SSRC) Action Committee. The march consisted of our 20 000 protesters.

What happened next has been debated since. Either the police opened fire without provocation, which was entirely plausible and likely given the attitudes and policies of the day, or some youths threw stones at the police who they considered the enforcers of an oppressive regime. What happened next there is no debate over.

The police opened fire and the children ran. Accounts of the death toll and wounded vary. The Apartheid government put the death toll at 23 whilst Reuter's news agency reported more than 500 dead. Doctors at hospitals chose not to record bullet wounds in case the injured youth and their families were targeted for further reprisals by the State.

The riots were a turning point for the resistance against Apartheid. With images such as Mbuyisa Makhubo, carrying Hector Pieterson's dying body beaming across the world and the pressure began to mount against the Apartheid government. Internally, there was now an armed resistance struggle and the townships were bristling with activists whilst internationally there were sanctions, boycotts, and governments willing to train, house and equip freedom fighters.

Slowly the edifice of the Apartheid state began to crumble and fall and though it would be a long time until its death knell, it had begun. Youth Day could be a conflict-ridden date, but instead it serves to remind South Africa of the importance of its youth and brings across the message that something like the Soweto riots or Apartheid must never happen again.

Sources:
SA History
SA Info
SA Info

Page Last Updated 14 June 2011