Fifty years after the Soweto Uprising of 1976, South Africa’s young people continue to bear the brunt of unfinished justice. The students who marched against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction were met with lethal state violence. Their demand was simple, the right to dignity and quality education in a language they understood. Hundreds of young lives were lost. This moment became a turning point, sparking stronger resistance to apartheid both in the country and around the world.
Yet, today it seems the youth may not have the same enthusiasm for the upcoming Youth Day. It almost feels like just another day, rather than one where history marks itself.
Growing up, we knew Youth Day as a day of remembrance and celebration. A day to commemorate the youth who stood up for their rights. We celebrated by wearing our school uniforms, feeling proud and thankful for the opportunity to go to school and be taught in multiple languages, including our own home languages. But even within this shared experience, young people today carry different reflections and realities. I had a conversation with a student from the University of Johannesburg who initially showed little interest in Youth Day. But as the conversation continued, they expressed a sense of gratitude. They acknowledged that, as a Black student, they must work 10 times harder than others, but have recognised they have access to greater opportunities because of the youth of 1976. However, they also pointed out the ongoing challenges – especially corruption and the lack of opportunities after university.
The faces have changed, but the grievances have not disappeared, they have become worse. The youth of today are not as different from the youth of 1976. The only real difference is the language of instruction. Young people today confront intersecting crises, such as unemployment, gender-based violence, economic inequality and a collapsing sense of hope. The youth are concerned about what is to come in the preceding years.. The youth of 1976 were politically united against oppression. They wanted freedom, equality and basic human rights. They were unified, fought a visible enemy, the apartheid regime. They fought for a better future. Yet the system continues to fail the youth of today.
The South African government marked this as ‘the year of putting young South Africans to work’. Yet official statistics paint an incontrovertible picture. In the first quarter of 2026, Statistics SA reported that youth unemployment was at 60.9%, for those aged 15-24, the highest rate. This is followed by those aged 25-34, at 40.6%. These numbers raise a difficult but necessary question: Are we doing enough for the youth of this country? Because this is not just a temporary setback, it is a systemic denial of the right to work, the right to basic education and the right to an adequate standard of living, rights guaranteed under international law.
According to the South African government, several initiatives have been introduced to promote change and equality. As part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, phases of the Basic Education Employment Initiative are reported to have created hundreds of thousands of jobs for young people. The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), along with other state institutions, continue to address youth unemployment and development challenges across provinces and at a national level. But these initiatives fall dangerously short on addressing approximately 3,9 million young people who are not in employment, education or training; because temporary jobs and fragmented programmes cannot substitute for structural reform. Instead of addressing the root causes of youth unemployment the government puts forward different approaches that address the symptoms of the challenges faced by young people, which is a temporary solution. Looking across the board, there is silence. So, when nearly two thirds of young people cannot find decent work, neither government nor the broader society are “empowering youth” they are rather managing the youths’ dispossession.
Conversations with young people across the country reveal a generation caught between gratitude for political freedom and deep fear and uncertainty about the future. A University of Fort Hare student captured this tension:
“I am scared, the youth of today are unemployed, I am studying hard, but what are the chances that I will get employed? Akumnandanga kuyawela (It is not easy, it is tough). We heard the South African qualification system is going through a shake-up. Now what will happen to my qualification? I sometimes think I should not have gone to university and worked – maybe I would have an upper hand now”.
Another young person added: “We need to appreciate what we have and fight for what we need. We need to enjoy the opportunities in front of us, but as a 20-year-old, I do not want to be taking care of others and carrying pressures that make me feel like I am 40-years-old. We are far from being a free youth, economically and psychologically”.
These voices reflect a deeper concern: many young people have lost faith in the governing system. They do not feel heard or supported. Instead, they feel as though they must hold up a broken system, simply because they are seen as the future.
We cannot continue to romanticise “youth resilience”. Resilience born of necessity is not a virtue to celebrate, it is a failure of the state to uphold its obligations. Praising young people for “pushing through” challenges, often ignores the deeper issue, they should not have to struggle this hard in the first place. Resilience is powerful, but young people should not be forced to live in survival mode.
Investing in youth must go beyond words and short-term initiatives. It requires meaningful, long-term commitment. This includes improving the quality of education, especially in under-resourced communities, and creating pathways into sustainable employment – not just temporary opportunities, but careers that allow young people to build stable lives.
South Africa stands at an important moment. The choices made today will determine whether this generation feels empowered or abandoned. If young people are given the tools, opportunities, and support they need, they have the potential to drive meaningful change in the country. But if they continue to be overlooked, the consequences will not only affect them – they will affect the social and economic future of the nation.
The idea that young people are “the future” has become a dangerous cliche used to justify delayed action. Young people in South Africa are not the future, they are the present. They are here now. They are ready now.
As we come to the end of Youth Month and commemoration of 50 years since the Soweto Uprising, we must ask not whether the youth are ready to lead, but whether South Africa’s leaders are ready to stop failing them. The spirit of 1976 demands more than commemoration. It demands urgent, transformative action on human rights.
Nobuhle Dube is Amnesty International South Africa’s Engagement Co-ordinator
