The date of June 16 marks a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history, where in 1976 thousands of black learners rose in protest against the imposition of Afrikaans as a compulsory medium of instruction in black schools, known as the Soweto Uprising. This collective act of defiance was not only a rejection of an oppressive education policy but also a powerful demand for the right to be taught in a language they could understand, which was English. The message of the youth, was unequivocal: education must be accessible, and language policy in schools must be just and inclusive.
The uprising was triggered by the 1974 Afrikaans Medium Decree, which required that all core subjects such as Mathematics and Social Studies were to be taught in the Afrikaans language. This language, largely unfamiliar to most learners and associated with the apartheid regime and enforced without consultation with the communities it affected. The plight of the students of 1974 was thus underpinned by linguistic human rights, which has translated to these rights being the cornerstone of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. For the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), this commemoration is a recognition of the central role language plays in freedom, empowerment, and nation-building. The Soweto Uprising was a defining moment that exposed how language had been weaponised under apartheid to marginalise and control. It also marked the beginning of a broader movement toward linguistic justice, one that would eventually lead to the recognition of 12 official languages in the democratic Constitution and the formation of PanSALB in 1995 to protect and promote multilingualism to guarantee that all languages are treated with equal respect and to prevent any language from being used as a tool for exploitation, control, or social division. Their protest redefined the nation’s linguistic future. Today, we honour their legacy by ensuring every South African language is given the opportunity to thrive equally, proudly, and purposefully.
The progress made by democratic South Africa in advancing mother tongue-based bilingual education is a vital step in decolonising the education system and honouring the legacy of the Youth of 1976. While they could scarcely imagine being taught critical subjects like Mathematics and Science in their own languages, their struggle was rooted in the desire for an education system that was more inclusive, accessible, and affirming of their identity.
The conscious sacrifices and resilience of the youth during the Uprising liberated us all from the grip of apartheid’s language agenda. Their blood heralds a new era of decolonising the linguistic mind of South African society, where our indigenous languages must be valued, developed, and used with pride.
PanSALB will join the national commemoration of this historic day as part of its ongoing mandate to honour those sacrifices and continue the work of protecting and promoting all the official languages in the country. The official celebration will take place at the 4 Artillery Regiment Military Base in JB Marks Local Municipality, Potchefstroom, Northwest.
