Dear Staff and Student Colleagues

Fifty years ago, young people changed the course of our nation’s history. Among them was 15-year-old student Hastings Ndlovu, the first young person to be shot and killed during the Soweto Uprising. His death, alongside that of others who followed on that day, marked a turning point in South Africa’s history and became a stark symbol of the courage of ordinary students who refused silence in the face of injustice. Together, they demanded dignity, access to quality education and the right to shape their own futures.

Their actions awakened the conscience of a nation and helped lay the foundations for the democratic South Africa we know today.
As we commemorate this milestone, we honour the lives, sacrifices and leadership of the youth of 1976. We also recognise that many of the conditions they resisted continue to shape the lived realities of young South Africans today. Inequality, poverty, unemployment, violence, barriers to education and inequitable access to healthcare remain persistent challenges. These realities remind us that the pursuit of social justice is not only a historical obligation, but an ongoing responsibility.

For the Faculty of Health Sciences, Youth Day speaks directly to our mission and purpose. Through our teaching, research, clinical service and community engagement, we are committed to advancing health equity and contributing to a society in which all people can live with dignity and opportunity. We educate future health professionals who must not only deliver excellent care but also understand and respond to the structural determinants of health. We generate knowledge that addresses the pressing health challenges facing South Africa and the African continent, and we work to build systems grounded in justice, compassion and inclusion.

It is therefore fitting that five years ago, on 16 June 2020, the Faculty launched its Transformation Framework. Grounded in the principles of social justice, African-centred scholarship, inclusivity and meaningful community engagement, the Framework reaffirmed our commitment to embedding transformation across all aspects of Faculty life.

As we mark the fiftieth anniversary of June 16, we are reminded that the courage of 1976 continues to resonate across generations. The legacy of young people like Hastings Ndlovu and his peers challenges us to reflect on how we teach and learn, how we conduct research, how we serve our communities and how we foster a sense of belonging within our Faculty.

In this spirit, the Faculty will undertake a review and renewal of the Transformation Framework during 2026 to ensure that it remains responsive to the evolving priorities of UCT and the broader society we serve. Building on the strong foundations established in 2020, the refreshed Framework will place renewed emphasis on institutional culture, accountability, wellbeing, social responsiveness and creating an environment in which all members of our community can flourish.

As we reflect on fifty years since the Soweto Uprising, we are reminded that progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. It is achieved through collective action, principled leadership and an enduring commitment to justice. The courage of 1976 continues to inspire us to confront inequity, expand opportunity and work towards a society in which everyone can realise their full potential.

This year’s commemoration invites us not only to remember the past, but to consider our responsibility for shaping the next fifty years. What legacy will we leave for future generations, and how will we ensure that the aspirations of 1976 continue to find expression in our institutions, our communities and our country?

May this Youth Day inspire us to honour the past through meaningful action in the present. Let us recommit ourselves to building a healthier, more just and inclusive South Africa that listens to the voices of the youth, values their experiences and creates meaningful opportunities for them to shape the future they will inherit. 

Enkosi kakhulu

Professor Lionel Green-Thompson
Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences