YouthNoise | Global Spot: South African Teens Rock Political Scenes

South African Teens Rock Political Scenes
Global Spot

South Africa is known all over the world for its righteous teens and their involvement in political issues.

Kids and teens in South Africa even have their own national holiday, National Youth Day on June 16, to honor the political and social struggles of South African youth, that eventually led to their new democracy.

Known as Soweto Day until just a few years ago, Youth Day in South Africa was originally created to remember the Soweto Uprisings, the massive educational protests by students in 1970's.

"It is a very symbolic day for me. It takes our young people down 'memory lane' to a time when youth activism, commitment and interest to see South Africa free drove them to give up their lives," says South African teen activist Pierre Andipatin.

Flashback to the '70's

It's the end of the school year for many South African teens and the apartheid government has decided that all classes will now be taught in a Dutch language called Afrikaans. Only the country's minority European ruling class speaks Afrikaans. Native African high school students are outraged that they will have to all-of-a-sudden learn in a language that they don't even speak. Plans are made to resist.

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On June 16, 1976, close to 30,000 high school students take to the streets in protest of racism in their government. South African teens gain the attention of the world during the Soweto Uprisings. Afterwards, the government changes its decision to require Afrikaans in schools. This marked the beginning of the end of apartheid or institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa.

Fast Forward to the 90's

The apartheid government finally ends after more than 40 years in 1993 and South African students are to thank for starting the first major resistance that led to the end of apartheid. Soweto Day is changed to National Youth Day to honor all youth who perished in the fight to end apartheid.

The next year, civil rights leader Nelson Mandela, who was previously imprisoned fighting for equal rights for blacks in South Africa, is elected president under the country's new democratic government.

"I am confident that South Africa's youth is more than ready to meet the challenge of freedom," says Mandela in his first National Youth Day speech as president.

And Now

Today National Youth Day means South African kids get a day off from school, but that's not all. The legacy of South African teen action for freedom and democracy, which began in Soweto, continues to influence teens in the post-apartheid era.

Check out South African teens in action on a new TV series called Chat the Planet. Go to www.chattheplanet.com for more info.



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