For a better world
All I remember is pain and suffering, "we" children of Africa were being suppressed but we fought back . WE demanded change, to live like them. It was time for revolution.
It all started with my visionary friend Tsietsi Mashinini. he wanted to be taught with his mother's tongue, to him he could understand more easily what was being taught during a lesson that way. he tried to pass that idea to our foreign teachers but same- same, they didn't take it seriously,take us seriously. Just because we were kids, it didn't mean we didn't have no the right to be heard just like the rest of the adults.
I agree with what he was trying to do. I, meguel khutsafalo was the second member of the rebellion. We were not deviants, we just wanted a better educational system than the one we're given to follow. We started bringing the idea to the ones who were affected by the Issue, the students of soweto high school didn't disappoint,majority of them approached us. To name a few ; Hastings Ndlovu and Hector pieterson. within a year we'd have a large number that supported our movement against the use of Afrikaans in all schools.
The following year we acted on what we decided. In the 16th June 1976, We prepared for our protest against the government, we did know what would happen. we only hoped for "change ".
Our leader Tsietsi led the protest. Students flouded the street, what a peaceful protest it was. As we continued, we suddenly came to stop after seeing the police
Police : please disperse, you are disturbing the peace!
We stood our ground. We came this far, we can't give up now.
Seeing this, the police started getting impatient with us
They threw teargas at us
And what was heard next was a loud sound echoing in my ears, I covered my ears to stop the ringing in my ears and from the noise as it was rapidly increasing more and more. When I turned my head to hastings, I couldn't believe what just happened. She was laying on the floor, her shirt had bullets holes and stained with blood. My legs frozen, I saw my friends die in front of my eyes. I was among those people who survived that Day but later arrested with 5890 others.
In the end we got what we wanted even though the price was higher than we thought. They gave up their lives for the children of tomorrow and will always be remembered and honored for their bravery. The thing is if you want change in your country, community or even school, you have to fight for it and stand on what you want to do. Do it now while you still can
And nobody but you can be that change
That you desperately want.