Commemorating the brave students of 1976
To celebrate Youth Day, a Reiger Park-based youth group called "God’s Anointed New Generation" (Gang), will be holding a youth day celebration event on June 16.
The event, aimed at empowering young people, will be held outside the Reiger Park Civic Centre from 9am till 7pm.
The day will be celebrated with performances by a local boys’ brigade, and sporting activities among others.
Various speakers will also address the youth.
By holding such an event, event organisers hope to not only commemorate the Soweto Uprising, but to empower today’s youth with the critical skills to overcome social problems.
The speakers will also present information pertaining to the resources that are available for youth to assist in overcoming these obstacles.
“We want to raise the morale of our community, especially that of our youth and to enhance their lifestyle. As Pastors and leaders, we will never give up on our next generation,” says one of the event organisers, Romeo Appies.
Appies acknowledged the battle against drugs in the township.
“Our youth is greatly exposed to such an illegal trade, which leads to all sorts of criminal activities, high rate of school drop out, teenage pregnancies and others social ills,” adds Appies.
Talented people, who would like to showcase their skills or talents on the day, are encouraged to contact Appies on 083 294 2334.
Youth Day commemorates the 1976 events triggered by discrimination within the education system.
On June 16, 1976, more than 20 000 students from schools in Soweto took to the streets in protest against the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools.
Police were called in to keep the crowds in check, but things soon took a volatile turn, which led to clashes with police and a spate of violence leaving many students dead.
