Meaning of June 16 lost

Fifty years later and 32 years since liberation, we have a situation that can be described only as a betrayal of our youngsters

- Peter Vundla

The June 16 anniversary and commemoration have become meaningless. They have lost their significance.

Let’s start at the beginning and ask why people have anniversaries. Anniversaries are used to memorialise, create social cohesion and give meaning during a designated event.

People have anniversaries largely to say “lest we forget”, to remind us, as South Africans, to recommit to the ideals and aspirations of those who fell on 16 June and subsequent days.

It should be a period when we take a social pause and reflect on where we come from, where we are and where we are headed.

It is axiomatic that the June 16 uprising changed the history of our nation. The contentious issue of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction was a catalyst for the destruction of the abominable system of apartheid.

The uprising had far-reaching consequences. The struggle against apartheid was internationalised. Moribund exiled liberation movements, such as the ANC and PAC, were catalysed into action.