Soweto Uprising
latest news & developments
Here's to the women who refuse to stop writing
As struggle veteran Sibongile Mkhabela marks her 70th birthday, the '76 INKED! literary festival gathers generations of South African women writers, including Zukiswa Wanner,…
Piece of cutting-edge journalism resonates, 50 years later
A powerful 1976 article by veteran journalist Dr. Mothobi Mutloatse, titled ‘Leaders Lash "Stupid" Education System’ and published in the Weekend World, is being included in a…
June 16 at 50: Who will lead the revolution?
Reflecting on 50 years since the Soweto Uprising, this article explores how the challenges faced by South Africa's youth today, particularly unemployment, demand a new kind of…
The Soweto Uprising of 16 June 1976: sport, resistance and global change
On June 16 1976, South Africa witnessed the explosive beginning of the Soweto Uprising, a student-led revolt that would shake the foundations of apartheid and echo across the…
Fifty years on, ‘Rise '76’ asks what we still owe the generation of June 16th
Running at the Market Theatre, 'Rise '76: The Story of June 16th' explores the profound impact of the Soweto Uprising through the lens of playwright Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni.…
Tsietsi Mashinini and the questions that refuse to die
This extract delves into the enduring mystery surrounding the death of Tsietsi Mashinini, a prominent leader of the 1976 Soweto uprising. After years in exile grappling with…
June 16: A book versus a bullet
Seth Mazibuko, the youngest member of the students' committee that led the peaceful protest in Soweto, shares his poignant memories of the June 16 Uprising, reflecting on its…
Hector Pieterson dies every day
Sello Hatang, born just before the 1976 Soweto Uprising, reflects on the profound personal and national significance of June 16. He argues that Hector Pieterson's death is not…
The Arc betrayed
The 1976 generation fought against Bantu Education for liberation, but their grandchildren, born after 1994, navigate a different landscape. This article explores whether the…
The unfinished business of freedom
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, connecting the struggles of 1976 to contemporary challenges in South Africa, including…
Meaning of June 16 lost
The June 16 anniversary, commemorating the Soweto Uprising, has lost its significance, becoming a mere formality rather than a period of reflection and recommitment to the ideals…
A generation pushed against the wall
The 1976 Soweto Uprising, sparked by protests against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction, was a pivotal moment rooted in a long history of resistance. This article explores the…
Kingsmead Book Fair returns with conversations SA needs right now
As the 14th annual Kingsmead Book Fair returns to Johannesburg, the beloved literary gathering once again creates space for difficult conversations, thoughtful reflection and the…
‘Rise ’76’ confronts a generation haunted by how little it has done with its inherited freedom
A powerful and emotionally layered theatrical work revisits the 1976 Soweto Uprising through testimony, memory, contradiction and unresolved generational grief
Billy Monama is staging a revival of memory
The Rebirth of Ubuntu returns with a focus on legacy, as Billy Monama pushes for music that remembers, questions and resonates beyond the stage