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Remember the Role Played by the Youth of 1976 – Says Premier Kiviet

Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet urged the youth to remember the role played by the young men and women of 1976 the youth which fought for the human right that everyone enjoys in South Africa today, setting precedent for generations to come.

Thousands of young people from Dutywa and surrounding areas braved the cold weather to celebrate Youth Day at Dutywa Sports Ground. June 16, 2010 marks 34 years since that dreadful day, when South African youth took to the streets to fight the apartheid systems particularly the use of Afrikaans language.

Speaking at the event Premier said “Today we remember that it was on June 16, 1976, when multitudes of South African youth emerged from the township school classrooms to confront the brutal system of racial oppression universally condemned as a crime against humanity.”

Premier Kiviet encouraged the youth to engage themselves in activities that would assist in the development of the country. She further condemned the involvement of young people in crime and called for their active participation in addressing HIV and AIDS, teenage pregnancies, drugs and alcohol abuse. “As the youth, your job is to protect your communities, particularly you; young men; be central in the fight against the abuse of women and children”, she stated

Premier Kiviet challenged the youth to follow on the steps of the 1976 generation; given the high matric rate failure; to “begin to interrogate the appropriateness of the use of other languages as a medium of instruction in their schools instead of their mother tongue”. “Today let us vow to strengthen debate on use of home language as a medium of instruction at schools as opposed to English.” She said.

Issued by: Eastern Cape Provincial Government.