The Youth of South Africa

As a student of history, I am always looking to expand upon my knowledge. American history is where most of my interest lies, but I occasionally find fascinating information and history from other countries. With the World Cup in South Africa this year, I came across a special on Youth Day. It is a national holiday celebrated each June.

Back on June 16, 1976, the Soweto uprising or riots occurred in Soweto, South Africa when black youth and South African authorities clashed. The riots came from the protests that were happening in regard to the policies of the National Party government and their apartheid regime. Since that day, the 16th has come to be known as Youth Day. But what exactly transpired?

The roots of the protests can be linked back to 1949 and the Eisenlen Commission's inquiry into the edification of non-whites. The commission looked to make harsh changes through the implementation of the Bantu Education Act of 1953. The legislation paved the way for many mission schools, which were attended by the majority of black children, to lose aid and close. This was followed by the Colored Person's Education Act of 1963, which barred colored children from white schools. Then followed by the Indian Education Act in 1965. The funding for education was shifted around and between 1962 and 1971, no new school were constructed in urban areas for non-white students. Then in 1972, the state started to work towards improving the education system and built 40 new schools between 1972 and 1976 in Soweto. Despite that, only 1 in 5 children there attended school.

During this time, black students in Soweto began to protest a decree in 1974 that forced black schools to teach using a mix of African and English. English was gaining importance and becoming very popular and used in commerce and industry. The idea was the keep the non-white Africans down by forcing them to not learn the same way as the white students. The resentment by the non-white student grew and finally gave to a head on April 30, 1976. That is when children at Orlando West Junior School in Soweto went on strike and refused to go to school. Their rebellion would cause a domino effect as other schools began to do the same in Soweto. June 13th was proposed by one student, Teboho "Tsietsi" Mashinini, as a date to meet to discuss the apparent problem. The Soweto Students' Representatives Council was formed and they held a large rally on the 16th of June to make their voices heard.

That morning, thousands of black students marched to Orlando Stadium to rally and protest against the way they were being taught. This was planned to be a non-violent awareness protest. The students reached support from teachers. Students were eventually met by police who had barricaded part of their route. Not deterred, the students avoided violence and took an alternate route to their destination. By the time the multiple schools' students converged together there was somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 students.

Then, things took a turn for the worse. Colonel Kleingeld, a police officer, fired the first shot causing panic and confusion. There is a dispute whether Kleingeld was provoked by a stone or something or he fired unprovoked. Whatever the case, the firing continued as did the rioting. 23 people fell dead, which included two white people. The violence continued into the night. Clinics began to see a rise in injured and bloody children. The events of the day did not turn out exactly as planned, but the students were looking to bring to the light their grievances. Attention was on Soweto. The next day 1,500 armed police officials were deployed. The casualties numbered in the hundreds.

The Soweto Uprising would be a turning point in the liberation struggle in South Africa. The uprising also coincided with a move from apartheid to a more standared form. The actions did not put an immediate end to apartheid, but gave officials an unstable environment as the black resistance grew. It would be another 14 years before Nelson Mandela was released, but politics and the economy suffered from the uprising. The attention of the events trickled to white students and many joined the black students in support mostly in protest to the killing of children. Black workers protested and riots broke out across South Africa. The world would join the students with the UN Security Council passing Resolution 392, which condemned the actions of the apartheid regime.

I am amazed reading and learning more how South Africa escaped apartheid. The actions of these students deserves praise and honor. I do not know if school children in this country or any country for that matter would have had the initiative and bravery to carry this type of protest out. They knew something was wrong and decided to be the change because if not them; then who. Nelson Mandela's story is fairly well known, but the kids in 1976 are almost unheard of. So, with the World Cup being in South Africa; take some time to read about what was going on in South Africa 40 years ago and realize where they have come from. Having this World Cup is a celebration for the nation on multiple levels. However, when June 16th comes around; think for a minute or two about the actions that took place in 1976.

Youth Day is one of those unheralded days that I now will remember as the year's holidays and celebrations come around.