Zuma greeted with rousing applause as he arrived for Youth Day celebrations

16 June 2015 - 16:08 By Sipho Masombuka

President Jacob Zuma received a rousing welcome from young people packing the Tshwane events centre's main hall for the main Youth Day commemoration ceremony in Pretoria on Tuesday. Zuma was accompanied by deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele.The commemorative event started in the morning with a youth prayer at the nearby Freedom Park from where they marched to the event.Dignitaries gracing the event include struggle stalwarts Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Sophie de Bruyn‚ esteemed human rights lawyer George Bizos‚ Gauteng premier David Makhura and North West premier Supra Mahumapelo.This year marks 39 years since apartheid police opened fire on Soweto students protesting against the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in SA schools in 1976.Youth Day this year is commemorated under the theme “Youth Moving South Africa Forward”.This year also marks 21 years since the dawn of democracy in SA and freedom and 60 years since the adoption of the Freedom Charter.Earlier this month‚ as part of government’s Youth Month Outreach Programme‚ the Presidency hosted the first inaugural meeting of the Presidential Youth Working Group. This brought together government and youth formations to discuss the National Youth Policy and various issues related to the socio-economic development and empowerment of the youth in the country.Zuma will also officially launch the Mara Mentor‚ an online youth mentorship programme‚ a partnership between the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Mara Foundation.Programme director and minister in the Presidency responsible for youth development Buti Manamela urged young people to learn the African Union anthem...

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