12/06/2026
ANCYL Gauteng Chairperson, Cde Ntsako Kevin Mogobe, delivered a Member’s Statement during today’s sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the June 16 Uprising.
Honourable Speaker,
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the June 16, 1976, Uprisinga defining moment in our liberation struggle when fearless young people rose against the brutality of apartheid and altered the course of our nation's history forever.
Today, we pay tribute to the generation of Hector Pieterson, Tsietsi Mashinini, Hastings Ndlovu and countless others whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering determination ignited a nationwide resistance against oppression. Their struggle was not merely against the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction; it was a struggle for dignity, equality, freedom and a better future for all South Africans.
As we commemorate this historic milestone, we are called upon not only to remember their sacrifice, but to recommit ourselves to the unfinished struggle for social and economic justice. The youth of 1976 confronted an unjust system with courage and conviction. Today's generation faces a different battlefield—one characterised by unemployment, poverty, inequality, crime, substance abuse and limited economic opportunities. The challenge before us is to ensure that freedom is translated into meaningful opportunities and improved living conditions for all young people.
The spirit of June 16 remains a powerful source of inspiration and a call to action. It demands that government, business and society work together to expand access to quality education, skills development, entrepreneurship and sustainable employment opportunities. It demands that we confront inequality and exclusion and ensure that every young person has a meaningful stake in the future of our country.
In Gauteng, young people continue to demand access to jobs, support for youth-owned enterprises, quality education, affordable housing, improved mental health services and decisive action against gender-based violence and substance abuse. These are not unreasonable demands. They are a call for dignity, inclusion and economic justice. As leaders, we have a responsibility to respond with urgency and tangible action.
Honourable Speaker,
As we commemorate this sacred occasion, the ANC joins the ANC Youth League in strongly condemning the abuse of alcohol and illegal substances during Youth Day commemorations, particularly by anyone wearing a school uniform.
June 16 is not a festival. It is a day of remembrance, reflection and recommitment. The school uniform is a symbol of the brave young people who marched for freedom in 1976. To wear that uniform while engaging in drunkenness, substance abuse or irresponsible conduct is to dishonour the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for our democracy.
We therefore call upon all learners and young people across Gauteng to commemorate Youth Day with dignity, discipline and purpose by participating in educational programmes, community service initiatives and nation-building activities that honour the legacy of the Class of 1976.
As the ANC Caucus, we continue to translate the values of June 16 into practical action. On 17 June 2026, we will conduct the Remmogo Programme at Matsemela High School, an initiative aimed at promoting learner dignity, youth empowerment, community engagement and responsive governance. Through this programme, we reaffirm our commitment to investing in young people, restoring hope in our communities and creating conditions that enable every learner to succeed.
Fifty years after the June 16 Uprising, the question before us is not whether we remember the youth of 1976. The question is whether we are prepared to act with the same courage and determination to defeat poverty, unemployment and inequality.
The youth of 1976 did not surrender in the face of oppression. Neither must today's generation surrender in the face of socio-economic challenges. Their struggle continues through us, and their dream of a just, equal and prosperous South Africa remains our collective responsibility.
I thank you.
🖤💚💛❤️
