The Speaker of Council of the City of Johannesburg Cllr Vasco da Gama, family members, community leaders and residents gathered at this gravesite of Japie Vilankulu yesterday, June 16 2020, to honour him and the rest of the Alexandra youth who were slain in the unconscionable actions of the apartheid government police against a group of peacefully protesting students.
As South Africans celebrate Youth Month, leaders from around the country visited various sites of fallen youth heroes and Cllr Da Gama paid tribute to the Vilankulu family and the community of Alexandra, who lost 34 children in the days following June 16.
In 2017, months after he first took up the Office of the Speaker of Council, Cllr Da Gama, worked with the family and community of Alexandra to commemorate Vilankulu, the first young man to be killed on June 17 1976. In 2017, Cllr da Gama and the family unveiled a long overdue tombstone for the slain boy.
Cllr Da Gama took a message of hope to the community of Alexandra. Our youth continue to fight for a better life, for access to education. As recently as 2016 we saw students protest the education syllabus and fees families were expected to pay. These youngsters forced the country to acknowledge a sector of citizens, the so-called ‘missing middle’ who need the attention of government in order to grow and contribute to the economy.
He took a message of remembrance, community spirit and hope to the residents of Alex. “Our city is comprised of 40% of young people between the ages of 20 and 39 who face the worst of the unemployment crisis and who also create income through their own small, medium and micro businesses. Six months ago, Johannesburg created a coalition government made up of nine political parties.
“Together, we represent the diverse cultural, political and social identities of the youth of our City. Last month, we passed a budget which we believe can start to bring to life the SMMEs our youth are running. In a well-run, business focused city where a concerted effort is being made to improve the transport network and spatial framework, our young people can grow their businesses and thrive.
“These are promises our communities have heard before. Today, we stand in a spot where the community has worked hard to honour those brave souls who fought injustice by keeping their final resting place safe and tidy.”
17/06/2022