Extract Notes for Website:
1. Background
This year marks the 39th anniversary of the historic June 16, 1976 student uprisings
which represents a crucial milestone in South Africa’s liberation struggle, providing a
major impetus to the broader struggle against apartheid which eventually resulted in
the first democratic elections in 1994. National Youth Day on June 16 marks the
sacrifice and heroism of the 1976 generation and other youth heroes such as 23year-old Solomon Mahlangu, who was sentenced to death by the racist apartheid
regime. As he faced the gallows on April 6, 1979, he raised his hand in the ANC
salute. His final words are reputed to have been: "My blood will nourish the tree that
will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue
the fight."
It also marks the 60th anniversary of the historic Freedom Charter. The Freedom
Charter was the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance,
which consisted of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allies - the South
African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured
People's Congress. It is characterized by its opening demand; "The People Shall
Govern.
In 1955, the ANC sent out 50,000 volunteers into townships and the countryside to
collect "freedom demands" from the people of South Africa. This system was
designed to give all South Africans equal rights. Demands such as "Land to be given
to all landless people", "Living wages and shorter hours of work", The Charter was
officially adopted on 26 June 1955 at a Congress of the People in Kliptown. The
meeting was attended by roughly 3,000 delegates. The document is notable for its
demand for and commitment to a non-racial South Africa, and this has remained the
platform of the ruling party. The charter also calls for democracy and human rights,
land reform, labour rights, and nationalization.
The new Constitution of South Africa included many of the demands of the Freedom
Charter. It addressed directly nearly all demands for equality of race and language,
but made no reference to nationalization of industry or redistribution of land which
were outlined in the charter.
The 2014 Youth Month programme, including the provincial commemoration of
National Youth Day, provides an opportunity to mobilize young people and society in
general around the ideals which the 1976 generation and successive generations
fought for and to provide a renewed impetus to youth development in the province.
Considerable progress has been made in improving the lives of young people in
many areas and sectors, including in relation to participation in democratic
governance, access to quality education and skills development, health care and
improved participation in the economy. However, unemployment, poverty and
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inequality, as well as social ills such as crime and substance abuse, continue to
impact negatively on the quality of life of young people.
Gauteng’s population figures show that the province has a particularly high
percentage of young people of working age, in the age group 20 to 39 years,
compared to other provinces. This reflects Gauteng’s status as the country’s
economic engine.
The Gauteng Provincial Government has mainstreamed the empowerment of
women, youth and people with disabilities within all government programmes and
outcomes. While the status of women in South Africa has improved considerably
since 1994, young people bear the brunt of youth poverty and unemployment. Any
efforts to improve the quality of life of young people must therefore pay particular
attention to the advancement of young women.
The approach to Youth Month will be informed by the need to:
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2.
Inspire hope and confidence in government and in the ability of South
Africans standing together to address the common challenges facing young
people and society in general.
Mobilize young people around acknowledging gains on youth development
in the past 60 years of the existence of the Freedom Charter, the
contributions of the generations before them in attaining freedom and
challenging the youth to seriously commit through a process of reflection on
their own contribution towards the future of South Africa.
Reach out to a wide spectrum of young people, including young
professionals, youth entrepreneurs, the unemployed and the working poor,
students in tertiary educational institutions, young women, youth in the faithbased sector, youth who are passionate about sport and culture etc.
To celebrate 21 years of democracy through the multi-sectoral approach to
youth development across government, the private sector and different
departments and sectors.
Youth Month Objectives
Against this backdrop, the key objectives of the activities marking the 39th
Anniversary of the June 16 uprising and Youth Month should be to:
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Mobilize young people and society in general in commemorating National
Youth Day and in honoring the heroes of the 1976 uprisings and other youth
struggles
Create awareness of the role of youth in the struggle for freedom and in
deepening democracy today
Harness the energies of young people as active participants in South Africa’s
development
Inculcate a spirit of active citizenship through a civic education campaign
emphasizing the rights and responsibilities of young people in Gauteng
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Demonstrate government’s commitment towards addressing youth
development, including through profiling progress made in youth development
since 1994 and facilitating youth access to services and development
opportunities through the public and private sector.
3.3 Proposed Theme
It is proposed that the following national theme be adopted for the provincial Youth
Month and National Youth Day activities: “Youth Moving the Gauteng City Region
Forward”.
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