June 16 - legacy of struggle, a prosperous future unfulfilled

GIVEN the poverty, inequality and unemployment young people perpetually face in this country, what is it that an increasingly impoverished and disenfranchised youth should celebrate this Youth Month?

- TEBOGO SUPING

Are we paying lip service to the legacy of the class of 1976, or are we genuinely committed to addressing the systemic challenges young people face, while acknowledging the failures of the present? It’s been 49 years since the students of 1976 stood up against the apartheid regime.

Their determination and sacrifice sparked a national movement that would impact South African history. Seth Mazibuko, one of those who co-ordinated the June 16 uprising, said: “What is now heartbreaking to witness in 2025 is how many of the struggles we fought for, which claimed thousands of lives, still plague today’s youth. How is this possible?”