The Soweto June 16 Uprising 50th anniversary celebrations have received a major boost from the City of Johannesburg, with the launch of the Soweto Unity Concert, set for Orlando Amstel Arena on June 14, 2026.

The announcement was made during a launch event held at the recently rebranded stadium on Wednesday evening, where scores of music practitioners, including Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Marah Louw, PJ Powers, Lala Tuku, and other officials gathered for the unveiling.

As the country marks 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising and 40 years since the legendary Concert in the Park at Ellis Park Stadium, this event honours the fearless youth and cultural pioneers who helped shape South Africa’s journey to freedom.

Among the first wave of performers confirmed for the Soweto Unity Concert are renowned artists PJ Powers, Juluka, and Blondie Makhene.

Mabuse, a founding member of the concert alongside Louw, expressed that the event aims to rekindle the spirit of solidarity that once transcended racial lines during the historic Concert in the Park in 1985, which attracted over 120,000 attendees.

“The Concert in the Park at Ellis Park Stadium drew more than 120,000 people from across racial lines. This year, as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, and the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution and other historical milestones, we plan to unite, unify, and conscientise our youth through the power of music,” Mabuse stated.

Speaking on behalf of Mayor Dada Morero, Thapelo Amad, the MMC for Community Development, conveyed pride and commitment to fostering unity and social integration through music.

“We are honoured as the City of Johannesburg to celebrate this historic moment. Our city reflects who we are and serves as a space for people to gather, create, and imagine themselves together,” he asserted.

Amad underscored that the 1985 Unity Concert became more than just a performance; it marked a pivotal moment of courage and connection in history.

Lala Tuku, speaking on behalf of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), highlighted the role that music has played in the emancipation of the people of South Africa from the shackles of apartheid.

“Music has helped us mourn, music has helped us resist, music has actually helped us to rebuild. And even today and now, music continues to do what few things can. It gathers us across language, across class, age, privilege, and politics, and it reminds us that we still belong to one another.”

For Seth Mazibuko, one of the leaders of the 1976 protest and founder of the Seth Mazibuko Foundation, the unity concert represents a new chapter of healing and honouring those who perished in 1976.

“I still feel the pain of 1976, having to be involved with the community of Soweto, that is a heavy process of healing. With this 50th anniversary, as the Seth Mazibuko Foundation, we are saying let us honour and celebrate them with dignity and respect,” he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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