The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s new appointed Chief Whip, Cllr Feziwe Sibeko (ANC) delivered a heartfelt appeal to youth of all races to strive for non-racialism and unity at a full sitting of council yesterday 14 June.
“As we commemorate June 16, the country has witnessed the ugly face of racism, sexism, xenophobia and male chauvinism. This forces young people to wage a battle in solving the colour line, moving beyond merely identifying racism as a persisting challenge to unite in action completely to eradicate it together with sexism, xenophobia, ethnicity and all other forms of discrimination,” she said.
Tomorrow South Africa will be commemorating the Soweto riot, known as June 16 when black students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974. This forced all black schools to use Afrikaans (widely considered as the language of the oppressor) as a language of instruction for mathematics and social studies from standard five (7th grade).
On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against this unfair imposition. It is estimated that 23 people died on the first day after the South African Police opened fire. Reuters news agency reported that “more than 500” fatalities took place during the 1976 riots. The number of wounded was estimated to be over a thousand men, women and children.
Remember this atrocity and the strides we made since democracy was realized in 1994, Cllr Sibeko urged “our young white compatriots not to fear a non-racial and united society, but to voluntarily plough their skills, resources, capacity and goodwill for the common development of their fellow youth.
“The young white people should not fear discussing racism. When we attack racism, we are not attacking white people. White people should not equate themselves with racism… they must feel anger towards it and denounce racism and shoulder collective responsibility with all South Africans for its eradication,” she added.
She further called for a sustained offensive against xenophobia.
“During this 35th Anniversary of the 1976 Youth Uprising, we must, as South African youth commit ourselves to leading the struggle against racism, sexism, xenophobia and all other forms of discrimination. We have a real opportunity to expand the frontiers of freedom, democracy and a better life for all,” Cllr Sibeko said.
As part of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Youth Day commemoration themed Youth Action for Economic Freedom in our lifetime, learners are taking part in a panel discussion at the Walmer Gqebera High School from 14:00 to 17:00.
The main event is taking place tomorrow 16 June at the Walmer Gqebera High School from 10:00 to 16:00 with DJ Sox, Sdlula from Walmer, Ma Thousand and other groups forming part of the programme.
Editors Notes:
- How about Non Racialism and Unity amongst everyone – why only the youth?
- And you thought that the Chief Whip did nothing for her money. Shame on you as you sit back watching Comrade Sibeko rid Port Elizabeth of racialism and xenophobia. I am sure that that is worth the paltry R2 million odd or thereabouts that her office gets annually.
NMB Communications
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