PASSING THE TORCH: Soweto is setting the stage to remember the youth of 1976

Jozi My Jozi’s chapter in Soweto has organised a range of unforgettable events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the uprising that changed South Africa.

It’s been 50 years since the Soweto youth uprising in 1976, and this month Jozi My Jozi is inviting people to spend 76 hours in Soweto for a deep dive into a range of community events including markets and exhibitions, a film festival and tours.

“The concept behind the duration is deeply symbolic,” says Mbali Zulu, who works with Jozi My Jozi’s chapter in Soweto.

“Seventy-six hours represents the year 1976, specifically chosen to commemorate the courage of the youth who took to the streets to fight against apartheid’s oppressive language restrictions in education.

The commemoration kicks off on Saturday, 13 June, with the Biyo Film Fest.

It will offer screenings of a series of films in different venues, including the fabulous Native Rebels restaurant, the Soweto Gallery and the Eyethu Heritage Hall, an iconic “bioscope” in the 1970s and 1980s that was owned by the late business tycoon Ephraim Tshabalala.

The screenings focus on independent local and international historical documentaries, arthouse features and material from apartheid-era archives – and there’ll be Q&A sessions with directors, scriptwriters and key cultural figures.

Soweto’s famous Vilakazi Street will be turned into a vibrant open-air gallery called The ART-Rising ’76 Street Art Gallery in which 16 visual artists will create original murals on walls along the street.

On Sunday, 14 June, it’s time for homegrown fashion, art, music, design and entrepreneurship.

The LoCrate Market (LoCrate stands for local creatives) at Lebo’s Backpackers in Orlando West will showcase a living archive of young Soweto talent in a celebration of 50 years of youth culture called Generation Now.

Monday is a day of umrabulo – an isiXhosa term traditionally meaning consciousness-raising or political discussion. It takes its name from the custom of ukurhabula, where people share a drink from the same calabash. The word was used extensively by political prisoners on Robben Island to inspire underground political debate.

The Sober Discussions on Monday, 15 June, will bring together intergenerational thought leaders, activists and community members for dynamic dialogue and storytelling, remembering untold heroes, forgotten stories and lost memories.

The discussions are held annually and are organised by the WeUprising Youth Movement. The primary aim of the event is to move away from the modern party culture often associated with public holidays, inst