The Randfontein Local Municipality (RLM) proved the Soweto Uprising is not as distant as it is thought to be in their Youth Month march.
The march took place on 24 June and was hosted by a municipal official who is also a Soweto Uprising victim and activist, Caroline Setsiba. The event was held in partnership with the Mayor’s office, Hustle Embassy Media and EvEsai.
Victims of the Soweto Uprising and community members marched from Home Affairs to the IEC Hall in commemoration of the 1976 march. At the IEC Hall a dialogue was held about the Soweto Uprising and victims’ families had their say.
Caroline explained that their aim with getting victims’ families to speak about the uprising was to correct history.
“It is thought that Hector Pietersen was the first victim of the shooting. He was one of the first but not the first. Hustings Ndlovu was the first victim. We got a lecturer, Barney Mogatle, to correct these perceptions,” she said.
The families of four famous victims, namely Hector Pietersen, Hustings Ndlovu, Mbuyisa Makhubu and Solomon Mahlangu were represented at the march.
Caroline was 15 years-old at the time of the Soweto Uprising. Since then, she has been an activist.
Under the old regime, I was arrested and tortured.
“At one point I was missing for six months. Back then if you went missing they would later find you dead. You would either be found dead after slipping on the soap in the shower or you would have fallen out of a window. I’m fortunate to still be alive. I later went into exile,” she said.
Caroline is not the only official from the municipality who was part of the uprising. Phillip Montshiwa, Randfontein Local Municipality’s head of communication was part of the movement as well.
“We don’t want people to forget. They need to remember where we come from and what we fought for in order to promote unity. We also want people to realise it was not just about Soweto. What started in Soweto changed everything for everyone,” Caroline said.
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