DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE, HON. MMABATHO TEMBE, TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS OF THE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE, ATTENDED THE OFFICIAL YOUTH DAY CELEBRATIONS HOSTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND IN UMHLATHUZE MUNICIPALITY.

 

Delivering a message of support, Hon. Tembe stressed the significance of hosting this year’s event at the University of Zululand, a historic institution renowned for its role in intellectual resistance and transformation.

 

“We must also acknowledge the real and pressing challenges students face today: financial exclusion, mental health struggles, lack of accommodation, digital inequality, gender-based violence, and the burden of academic stress,” she said. “As leaders, we carry the responsibility to ensure our institutions of higher learning become safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces for all students to succeed and thrive.”

 

Youth Day, commemorated annually on 16 June, honours the courage and activism of the 1976 youth and serves as a call to action to address the current struggles of young people in South Africa. The celebrations aimed to not only reflect on the past but also inspire commitment towards building a more equitable future for the youth.