Youth Day in South Africa Date in the current year: June 16, 2024

Inadequate government rule and poor schooling system caused a wave or riots among the majority of South African population. Historians believe, that one of the reason for the Soweto Uprising was introduction of usage Afrikaans for teaching certain subjects.

But the issue was not much Afrikaans, but the educational system itself, for instance, separate schools and universities for the black majority and white minority, poor facilities, overcrowded classes and inadequately trained teachers.

The Soweto Uprising brought about 20,000 students to streets to join a protest march. Approximately 700 were killed in clashes with police, while government officially stated only 23 casualties among students.

The world reacted on Apartheid government only after appearance of photo of Hector Pieterson, taken by a news photographer Sam Nzima. At that picture a 13-year old dying boy Hector Pieterson was carried by another student, while his sister ran next to him.