Honouring the Legacy of 1976: empowering the youth of today for a better tomorrow

THE Youth Month in South Africa is a time to reflect and honour the legacy of the brave young people who stood against the apartheid regime during the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

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Hundreds of students were ambushed and killed by police for protesting the oppressive education system.

This was indeed a crucial moment in our history that reminded the nation of the power and potential of its youth.

Almost 5 decades later, young people continue to be at the forefront of South Africa’s socio-economic transformation tackling issues such as marginalisation, inequality, and unemployment.

According to the Social Profile of South African Youth, this demographic makes up nearly one-third of our population.

They represent a dynamic generation which continues to navigate the ever-changing society that is influenced by labour markets, poverty, crime, lack of access to quality education as well as high unemployment due to lack of relevant skills.

To address these challenges, we need to start finding ways to accelerate youth economic emancipation for them to have a sustainable future.

Government and private companies need to continue initiating interventions that focus on youth development and empowerment in order to draw more young people into actively participating in the growth of the economy.