Archival pictures of protest at the University of Cape Town sparked in the wake of the June 1976 Soweto uprisings. Date of the photo is unknown.
Fifty years after the June 16, 1976 Soweto uprising, the legacy of the student revolt continues to resonate across South Africa — including in the Western Cape, where pupils, students and communities staged solidarity protests and acts of resistance against apartheid.
June is observed annually as Youth Month, with June 16 commemorated as National Youth Day in honour of the role young people played in the liberation struggle. This year marks the Golden Jubilee of the Soweto uprising under the theme: “Reset@50 – The Future Calls”.
Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities spokesperson Cassius Selala said the commemoration aims to honour the legacy of the 1976 uprising while empowering a new generation of young people.
Selala said the Soweto uprising — sparked by opposition to the compulsory use of Afrikaans in black schools — became a turning point in resistance against apartheid. He noted that black students across the country had already been protesting against the apartheid government’s education policies, before June 1976.
