Parliament, Friday, 26 June 2020 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Nonhlanhla Ncube-Ndaba, said the month of June is dedicated to the youth of 1976, who stood against the might of the apartheid government and laid down their lives for freedom and equal education for all in South Africa.
This year marks the 44th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 uprising in which many children lost their lives while others left South Africa and travelled to other countries in Africa and abroad to join banned anti-apartheid organisations.
The theme of the 2020 youth month is “Youth Power: Growing South Africa together in the period of Covid-19”. Today’s youth face a variety of challenges including unemployment, poverty, inequality, crime and the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s theme calls for young people to play their part in the fight to curb the spread of the virus.
Ms Ncube-Ndaba said the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated social challenges and their impact on young people. She called on the youth to take the lead in the fight against the pandemic, just like the youth of 1976. “We appeal to the young people to be at the forefront in the fight against Covid-19, as they are the first victims of its disruption of the South African economy,” said Ms Ncube-Ndaba. Young people should take the fight against gender-based violence and femicide as the majority of the victims are young women and the perpetrator's young males.
Furthermore, Ms Ndaba-Ncube said to fight Covid-19, young people must emulate the fearlessness of the Wynberg Seven, a group of teenagers who were arrested in 1985 during a student protest in Wynberg, Cape Town, and were imprisoned in Pollsmoor Prison. These youth and many like them across the country sacrificed a great deal and their contribution should not be forgotten. This means that the government should do more to ensure that their criminal records are expunged and the necessary psycho-social services and support provided to deal with the trauma incurred.
The committee also notes the drug awareness week campaign to highlight the impact of alcohol and substance abuse on young people, driven by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and various non-governmental organisations.
The drug awareness week campaign began on Monday, 22 June and ends on Friday, 26 June 2020 also commemorates the United Nations resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, which designated 26 June as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, MS NONHLANHLA NCUBE-NDABA
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairpersons, please contact:
Name: Ms Yoliswa Landu
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8203
Cell: 081 497 4694
E-mail: ylandu@parliament.gov.za
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, MS NONHLANHLA NCUBE-NDABA
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairpersons, please contact:
Name: Ms Yoliswa Landu
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8203
Cell: 081 497 4694
E-mail: ylandu@parliament.gov.za
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