Maimane: Freedom in SA has not materialised

“While we have certainly come a long way since those dark days of apartheid – and life is indeed better for most South Africans – many of the freedoms that generation fought for have not yet materialised,” he said.

 

Maimane was speaking at the DA’s Youth Day commemoration at the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan University.

 

“Today, 39 years ago, tens of thousands of young people across Soweto stood up to the apartheid government, demanding to be taught as equals in South Africa,” he said.

 

“Their protest was about more than just the language of instruction. It was a protest against a system of education designed to keep them down.”

 

He said on June 16, 1976, thousands of children stood up and said that they did not accept the place given to them in society and the education system designed to keep them there.

 

According to official records, 176 young South Africans died on this day in 1976, when a group of pupils from Morris Isaacson High School in Orlando, Soweto, protested over Afrikaans being the medium of instruction, among other grievances against the apartheid government. There was a standoff with police, who opened fire on the children.

 

Maimane said these were the youth that stood up for a belief that their future could be better.

 

He said their sacrifice would never be forgotten because it paved a way for the free and democratic South Africa.

 

“Many young South Africans are still waiting for a time when fairness means a society where their efforts are matched by their rewards,” he said.

 

“Many young South Africans are still waiting for the opportunities to make a better life for themselves and their families.”

 

Maimane said the focus in South Africa should be on growing the economy to create jobs.

 

He said the current education system was one of government’s biggest failures.

 

Children were being failed early on by teachers who could not teach them to read, he says.

 

“The state of our education, 21 years into our democracy, is shameful. Ours is considered to be among the very worst in the world,” Maimane said.

 

“History will one day show that the failure to provide our children with quality education will be our government’s single biggest failure.”

 

Maimane said the education system should be fixed, starting with basic education.

 

He said people were honouring the the memory of those who fought and died for our freedom 39 years ago.

 

To truly honour them, South Africans should continue the fight they started for opportunities for all through quality education and skills training. -ANA

 

(File Photo: Gallo Images)