Soweto 1976 Youth March retraced to focus on unchanged conditions 50 years later

To finish what was started by the Class of ’76 fifty years ago in Soweto. 

This is the objective of a march taking place on Tuesday (16 June 2026) to Orlando Stadium, where veterans of the 1976 Uprising together with present-day youths plan to hand over a Manifesto to President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

“It is an affront to us and the youth of today that the main commemoration of the 1976 Uprising should not take place at Orlando Stadium,” says Seth Mazibuko, who helped organise the original march in 1976. 

“Orlando is not merely a venue, but a symbol of youth courage, resistance and hope. In 1976 we planned to end our march at Orlando Stadium. The commemoration of June 16 anywhere else diminishes the sacrifices made on that fateful day to secure the freedoms we enjoy in a democratic South Africa,” he explains. 

Marchers will include civil society organisations, community members and youths from Soweto and the greater Johannesburg as well as veterans of the 1976 student movement. 

Another pain point for the group is the renaming of Orlando Stadium to reflect its sponsorship by an alcohol company. “It is deeply ironic that fifty years later, one of the most important symbols of the 1976 student movement has become associated with alcohol branding and commercial naming rights, while the official commemoration itself is moved away from the very location where history unfolded,” remarks Mazibuko. 

Among the issues that fuelled youth resistance in 1976 was the destructive impact of municipal beer halls and the alcohol-related harm affecting township communities.  

“In 1976 young people resisted apartheid systems that used alcohol as a tool of social control and economic extraction. Beer halls were not innocent recreational spaces. 

“They functioned as instruments of apartheid governance – deliberately used to pacify black communities while generating municipal revenue. The youth uprisings challenged these oppressive structures,” says Nomcebo Dlamini, Campaign Director of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance. 

The social ills and injustices young people opposed in 1976 still plague the youth of today. 

“Fifty years later, many of the issues that concerned the Class of ‘76 remain with us. Young people continue to face unemployment, poverty, violence, substance abuse, mental health challenges and limited opportunities,” says Kamogelo Malikane, Junior Mayor of Johannesburg. 

“We will be handing over an 11-point Youth Manifesto to the President. Among the issues raised will be a call for stronger substance abuse prevention programmes, accessible treatment and recovery services, and healthier communities where young people can thrive,” adds Malikane. 

The youth of 1976 marched for dignity, opportunity and community wellbeing. The youth of 2026 deserve a commemoration that honours that legacy in both place and purpose. 

March Details: 

Date: 16 June 2026 

Time: 10h00  

Starting point at the Confrontation Address: Cnr, Moema & Vilikazi Street, Orlando West Soweto to an open field at Orlando Stadium. 

END 

Editor’s Notes: 

Main points of 1976@50 Youth Manifesto 

1. Economic Inclusion & Meaningful Employment 

Young people demand access to decent jobs, entrepreneurship opportunities, fair wages and economic policies that reduce poverty and inequality. 

2. Quality, Future-Focused Education & Skills Development 

Every young person deserves quality education, digital skills, vocational training and lifelong learning opportunities that prepare them for the future economy. 

3. Healthy Communities, Substance Use Prevention & Recovery 

Young people call for stronger prevention programmes, reduced alcohol and drug-related harm, accessible treatment and recovery services, and healthier communities where young people can thrive. 

4. Universal Healthcare & Mental Well-being 

Healthcare and mental health services must be accessible, affordable and youth-friendly, ensuring that no young person is left behind. 

5. Climate Action & the Just Energy Transition 

Young people demand urgent action on climate change while ensuring that the transition to a greener economy creates jobs and opportunities for communities. 

6. Gender Justice & Safe Communities 

Young people call for an end to gender-based violence, abuse and discrimination, and for communities where women, girls and vulnerable groups can live in safety and dignity. 

7. Food Security & Zero Stunting 

No child should go hungry. Young people call for nutritious food, stronger food systems and decisive action to eliminate child malnutrition and stunting. 

8. Arts, Culture & Heritage Preservation 

South Africa's history, culture and creative industries must be protected, celebrated and used to empower future generations. 

9. Transparent Governance, Anti-Corruption & Leadership Accountability 

Young people demand ethical leadership, transparent institutions and decisive action against corruption to ensure public resources benefit all citizens. 

10. Active Civic Participation & Youth Representation 

Young people must be included in decision-making processes at all levels of society. Nothing about youth should be decided without youth. 

11. Spatial Development, Healthy Cities & Community Well-being 

Communities should be designed to promote safety, health and opportunity through quality housing, public transport, green spaces, sports facilities, libraries and youth-friendly infrastructure. 

About Seth Mazibuko 

Seth Mazibuko is a prominent leader of the June 16, 1976 Soweto uprising. He was the youngest member of the Student Action Committee that planned and led the Soweto uprising. He was only 16 years old when he was arrested and held in solitary confinement for 11 months at the notorious Fort Prison in Braamfontein before his imprisonment on Robben Island for seven years. He became the youngest political prisoner on Robben Island during the apartheid era. He founded the Seth Mazibuko Foundation (SMF), which partners with various heritage sites, including the National Heritage Council and the Robben Island Museum, to collect 50 oral histories that highlight the contributions of women and lesser-known activists during the 1976 uprising. 

About SAAPA 

The South African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) is a civil society 

coalition advocating for evidence-based alcohol policies that reduce harm, protect 

vulnerable populations and promote healthier communities across South Africa. 

For more information, visit: https://truecostofalcohol.africa