The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has launched a year-long national programme commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising under the theme “RESET@50 – The Future Calls.”
Speaking in Orlando West in Soweto on Thursday, Chikunga said the commemoration is not only about remembering the events of June 16, but also about confronting current challenges facing young people and shaping the future of the country.
She described the launch as “a national year of memory, reflection and action.”
Chikunga reflected on the historical events leading up to the 1976 uprising, including the introduction of the Bantu Education Act and the apartheid government’s decision to enforce Afrikaans as a language of instruction in Black schools.
“We must retell these stories, preserve them, and pass them on. Because dare we forget,” she said.
The minister paid tribute to student leaders such as Tsietsi Mashinini and activists influenced by the Black Consciousness Movement, as well as journalists and photographers who documented the uprising, including Sam Nzima and Peter Magubane.
She also honoured the role played by women, including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who helped injured learners during the uprising.
Chikunga said the RESET@50 campaign aims to move beyond remembrance and focus on empowering young people through education, economic inclusion, skills development and leadership opportunities.
She highlighted gains made since democracy, including increased access to higher education and youth development programmes. According to the minister, public university enrolment grew from about 495,000 students in 1994 to more than one million in 2022.
The minister also pointed to investments in youth development initiatives through the National Youth Development Agency and the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention.
However, Chikunga warned that youth unemployment remains one of the country’s biggest challenges.
Quoting the latest Statistics South Africa labour force survey, she said youth unemployment has risen to 32.7%, while the number of young people not in employment, education or training stands at 45.6%.
“It is not enough for young people to enter education if they do not complete, and if completion does not lead to work, enterprise or further training,” she said.
She called on universities, TVET colleges, SETAs and the private sector to work together to create employment pathways and future-focused skills aligned with industries such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, green technologies and digital innovation.
Chikunga said the success of the Golden Jubilee programme would be measured not by the number of commemorative events held, but by opportunities created for young people.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to lead the main June 16 commemoration in Soweto later this year.
