The youth celebrate opportunities
Back in 1976 the youth gathered and united in one voice against policies of the apartheid government that resulted in the introduction of the Bantu Education Act of 1953,which made Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in schools.
KABOKWENI – It was this day, back in 1976 that the youth gathered and united in one voice against policies of the apartheid government that resulted in the introduction of the Bantu Education Act of 1953,which made Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in schools.
On this day in 1976 many of those young people were massacred while others jailed by the brutal apartheid security forces.This week, in commemorating these brave young lions, over 2 000 young people led by the SABC regional boss,Mr Quiton Lenyai, Mbombela executive
mayor, Cllr Sibusiso Mathonsi, the former Class of 2015.
Some of the participants in full school uniform during the march.
There are many opportunities for our young people. We are currently in a process of establishing a youth development strategy photo- journalist who took the picture that shook the world, Mr Sam Nzima and SABC celebrities, which included Generations stars Thulisile Phongolo (Namhla) and Ranaka Manaka (Lucy), assembled at the KaBokweni Stadium where they participated in a six KM peaceful march.
According to Lenyai, the SABC regional manager,this march which was organised by his company, the SABC, served as a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by young people to make the apartheid government ungovernable.
“Today we are retracing the footsteps of those who laid their lives down for us to be free and so we decided to come together and sensitize our people, and give them a taste of what happened and how it felt like back in 1976.
Unlike those days, our young people today are spoiled with many
opportunities and rights that were never there before. All that they need to do is to make use of these opportunities to empower themselves,” said Lenyai.
The Mbombela mayor, Cllr Mathonsi,appealed to young people to take the badge and fight for economic freedom and unemployment.“There are many opportunities for our young people.
We are currently in a process of establishing a youth development strategy which will help the youth with relevant information and assistance in setting up their own businesses.
This strategy will help us better advise our young
people on which doors to knock to for assistance,” said Mathonsi.
The Generations star, Namhla said it was disturbing to see young people burn and destroy schools and libraries during service delivery protests, which many young people died for.“What would Hector Peterson do or say if he were alive today?” she asked.
