Youth urged to discover SA’s struggle history

Written by Edwin Tshivhidzo

Sport, arts and culture

The youth of South Africa have been encouraged to take an interest in learning more about the country’s struggle history.

Freedom Park, in collaboration with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, launched the Struggle T-shirt exhibition at Freedom Park in Pretoria recently.

Freedom Park Acting CEO Jane Mufamadi said South Africa’s triumphant struggle for freedom is regarded as one of the most notable human achievements of the 20th century for equality and humanity on the continent and internationally.

“The liberation of South Africa was waged on all fronts…South Africans had to resort to all forms of struggle to liberate themselves from one of the most brutal systems declared by the United Nations as a crime against humanity,” Mufamadi said.

The exhibition showcases T-shirts showing several messages from the struggle era. The aim is to educate South Africans about the struggle for liberation and how it resulted in an inclusive democracy and nationalism in 1994.

Mufamadi said they want to remind the youth that the liberation came about as a result of the hard-won struggle by all South Africans, both from within and outside South Africa.

She said one of the greatest weapons used to carry the message was by converting every worker, student, clergyman and citizen to become mobile billboards in every part of South Africa.

She also called on schools to encourage learners to visit Freedom Park so they could learn more about the country’s history.

“We urge all South Africans, young and old, to visit Freedom Park and see for themselves, especially school learners and students.”

There are about 80 000 names of late struggle heroes and heroines engraved at Freedom Park.

Freedom Park is a cultural institution housing a museum and memorial dedicated to recording and honouring the many people who contributed to South Africa's liberation.

The museum celebrates South Africa's heritage and strives to accommodate all of the country’s experiences and symbols to tell one coherent story.