What happened during the Soweto uprising of 1976?

The Soweto uprising was a series of demonstrations and protests led by black school children in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. It is estimated that 20,000 students took part in the protests. They were met with fierce police brutality and many were shot and killed.

What caused the Soweto uprising of 1976?

High school student-led protests in South Africa began on the morning of June 16, 1976 in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. Known as the Soweto uprising, an estimated 20,000 students took part in the protests.

How many were killed in the Soweto uprising?

176 people
Over 176 people were killed that day. Protests quickly spread to townships all over the country. The image of 13 year old Hector Pieterson, who was the first child shot dead by apartheid police during the Soweto uprising, has become an iconic image.

Who was the leader of the 1976 uprising in Soweto?

Teboho MacDonald Mashinini. Teboho “Tsietsi” MacDonald Mashinini (born 27 January 1957 – 1990) in Jabavu, Soweto, South Africa, died summer, 1990 in Conakry, Guinea), and buried Avalon Cemetery, was the main student leader of the Soweto Uprising that began in Soweto and spread across South Africa in June, 1976.

What can we learn from the youth of 1976?

5 things you can learn from the youth of 1976

• Stand up for what you believe in. The youth who peacefully marched to Orlando Stadium were tired of living under conditions that made it hard for them to be young and free.
• Collaboration.
• The right to access education.
• Women can be leaders.
• Your voice matters.

Is Afrikaans a language?

Afrikaans is a southern African language. Today six in 10 of the almost seven million Afrikaans speakers in South Africa are estimated to be black. Like several other South African languages, Afrikaans is a cross-border language spanning sizeable communities of speakers in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

What happened on the 27th April 1994?

It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994. The elections were the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age of over 18 from any race group, including foreign citizens permanently resident in South Africa, were allowed to vote.

What happened on the 9 August 1956?

On 9 August 1956, about 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against legislation aimed at tightening the apartheid government’s control over the movement of black women in urban areas.

Why is June 16 called the Youth Day?

Youth Day commemorates the Soweto youth uprising of 16 June 1976. Events that triggered the uprising can be traced back to policies of the Apartheid government that resulted in the introduction of the Bantu Education Act in 1953.

Why does South Africa celebrate Youth Day?

“Youth Day means acknowledging the sacrifices of the 1976 youth that fought for our freedom during the apartheid era and the bettering of our education. It’s also being mindful that though the struggle against Apartheid is over, the war against systemic discrimination is far from done.

What is important about Youth Day?

Youth Day commemorates the Soweto Uprising, which took place on 16 June 1976, where thousands of students were ambushed by the apartheid regime. On Youth Day, South Africans pay tribute to the lives of these students and recognises the role of the youth in the liberation of South Africa from the apartheid regime.

Is Afrikaans a dying language?

About the Afrikaans Language. The Afrikaans language is one of South Africa’s official languages and a large proportion of the local population uses it as their first or second language. Some believe that Afrikaans is a dying language, however, it remains spoken all over the country and respected for its origins.

Where did the Soweto student uprising take place?

On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of students from the African township of Soweto, outside Johannesburg, gathered at their schools to participate in a student-organized protest demonstration.

What did Punt Janson say during the Soweto uprising?

Punt Janson, the Deputy Minister of Bantu Education at the time, was quoted as saying: “A Black man may be trained to work on a farm or in a factory. He may work for an employer who is either English-speaking or Afrikaans-speaking and the man who has to give him instructions may be either English-speaking or Afrikaans-speaking.

How is the old Soweto in South Africa?

Further afield, the barrenness that comprises much of the old Soweto comes into view – the small brown houses of Old Diepkloof and Orlando townships, in stark contrast to the colourful shades and tree-lined streets of the newer parts like Diepkloof Extension, home to the relatively affluent.

Who was the photojournalist who captured the Soweto riots?

The photograph of Hector Pieterson ‘s dead body, as captured by photojournalist Sam Nzima, caused outrage and brought down international condemnation on the Apartheid government. The Soweto riots are depicted in the 1987 film by director Richard Attenborough, Cry Freedom, and in the 1992 musical film Sarafina!.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFgYt_rUJAc