Youth are joined by their elders during Youth Day celebrations in New Castle, Madadeni, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday. Picture: GCIS
Youth are joined by their elders during Youth Day celebrations in New Castle, Madadeni, KwaZulu-Natal, in 2017. Picture: GCIS

ON THURSDAY SA marks 40 years since the watershed Soweto Uprising of 1976 but with municipal elections only two months away, political parties will also be looking to use the day to reach out to voters.
The official national Youth Day commemoration is set to take place at Orlando Stadium in Soweto where President Jacob Zuma is expected to deliver the "national message" under the theme Youth Moving SA Forward.
Speaking ahead of the commemoration, Zuma said Youth Day remained an important occasion on SA’s calendar.
"The country reflects on the conscious sacrifices and resilience of our young people who displayed incredible courage and determination to liberate themselves and the country from the callous apartheid regime.
"This is a day that was to significantly change the sociopolitical landscape of the country and the course of the South African history as it widely drew the attention of the international community and paved the way to democracy."
About 35,000 pupils are expected to be bussed into Orlando Stadium on Thursday.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe on Tuesday said a number of events would take place to commemorate Youth Day.
However, while Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa leads a traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, the DA will rally behind its leader, Mmusi Maimane, in marching through the streets of Soweto, ending at the same memorial.
The official opposition party will then have its own wreath-laying ceremony at the Hector Pieterson Memorial.
Maimane will be joined by provincial and national leaders as well as mayoral candidates for Gauteng Herman Mashaba, Solly Msimanga and Ghaleb Cachalia.
The red berets will not be in Soweto this year but rather commemorating June 16 at a rally in Secunda in Mpumalanga.
EFF leader Julius Malema will address supporters at the Risko Fakude Stadium in Embalenhle.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi will address his party’s Youth Day rally at the Meadowlands Zone 10 Community Hall in Soweto, less than 10km from the government’s official event, while United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa will be launching his party’s Nelson Mandela Bay metro manifesto at the Lilian Ngoyi Sports Centre in Port Elizabeth.
The Congress of the People (COPE) will be in Limpopo where leader Mosiuoa Lekota will address the party’s Vhembe Youth rally at the Guvhukuvhu Sports Ground in Thulamela.
COPE has accused the ANC of "manipulating June 16 for its own selfish ends".
It said the day should be about uniting people and remembering fallen heroes of the country.
"In our view, it is disgraceful that the ruling party should continue to abuse taxpayers’ money to bus in ANC supporters to Orlando Stadium in Soweto and to turn a day of commemoration into a day of self-serving entertainment that diminishes the solemnity of the occasion," spokesperson Dennis Bloem said in a statement.
"Youth Day 2016 cannot be an ANC rally. This day, when it dawns tomorrow, should be for all South Africans and all young South Africans in particular."
SOURCE: Business Da
y