The family of the mastermind of the June 16 Soweto uprising Tsietsi Mashinini has spoken out on the golden anniversary of the event. It says without a free and decolonised education, the sacrifices of the generation of that event remain in vain. The historic event expedited the pace of the liberation struggle which changed South Africa’s political trajectory.
Without free and decolonized education, the sacrifices of the generation of the 1976 Soweto uprising remain in vain. This is according to the family of the late mastermind behind the June 16 youth protests Tsietsi Mashinini. #MorningLive #SABCNews
— SABCNews_MorningLive (@MorningLiveSABC) June 16, 2026
Mashinini’s brother Dichaba says that if he were to write a letter to the departed 1976 generation, this is what he would say:” Vukani madoda, we are living in a dungeon economically, socially and otherwise. What you died for has not been achieved. We are still struggling and very early in our liberation already there was a song “Not Yet Uhuru ” – we are still in that situation. So, I will tell you – you have made a sacrifice and you have made your contribution well done but we have only moved an inch, we have not really achieved what we were fighting for. I don’t think learning and teaching or even the curriculum is anything near what these guys were advocating for. For instance, Khotso Seatlholo must be the minister of education because I don’t think we would be where we are, I think we would be in a better place.”
VIDEO | Mashinini relatives on decolonising education
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