Youth Day 2025: ANC calls on young South Africans to continue the struggle for equality
The African National Congress (ANC) has marked Youth Day 2025 with a stirring tribute to the “militant and fearless Class of 1976,” while calling on today’s youth to pick up the baton and lead the charge against poverty, inequality, and socio-economic exclusion.
ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the party joins millions of South Africans in commemorating Youth Day, a solemn and powerful day etched in the collective consciousness of our nation.
Bhengu reminded the country that June 16, 1976, marks an unforgettable day when “a vicious regime declared war on schoolchildren who dared to dream of freedom.”
“The bravery of the Class of 1976 is a lasting reminder of the power of youth to drive profound political and social transformation,” she said.
The ANC stressed that the country’s liberation history cannot be told without acknowledging the central role of young people, not merely as supporters but as “leaders, organisers, and frontline combatants.
Bhengu referenced the evolution from the ANC Youth League in 1944 to the defiant “Young Lions” of the 1980s who “heeded Comrade President Oliver Tambo’s call to make apartheid ungovernable.”
As South Africa grapples with modern challenges, the ANC’s message urges today’s youth to rise to the occasion.
“Just as previous generations fought against apartheid, today’s youth must lead the charge against the modern-day struggles of racism, patriarchy, corruption, crime, inequality, and the pandemic of gender-based violence.”
Bhengu said this Youth Day is also a painful reflection of the hardships many young people continue to face.
“Too many are unemployed, impoverished, and excluded from the mainstream of economic activity. The ANC recognises this crisis and recommits itself to addressing the socio-economic barriers that continue to limit the potential of our youth.”
Bhengu also commended the ANC Youth League for its ongoing mobilisation and role in “championing the aspirations of young people,” including providing access to entrepreneurship support, education, and skills development.
“The ANCYL carries a responsibility to help cultivate a new generation of progressive activists, entrepreneurs, academics, engineers, scientists, innovators, and ethical leaders,” said Bhengu.
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