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Address by the Hon Andries Nel, MP, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, at a Student Engagement for Human Rights Day and in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution,
held at Moremogolo NCUTVET Campus Hall, Galeshewe, Kimberley, Friday, 20 March 2026

Programme Director, distinguished guests, esteemed presenters, the leadership of the TVET colleges present, representatives from local government, members of civil society and, most important, the young leaders of tomorrow.
We gather at a historic moment.

The year 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of our nation’s Constitution — the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa.
Cabinet has declared this milestone will be commemorated under the theme: “One Constitution; One Nation: Reflect, Renew, Recommit.”
This theme is not just a slogan.

It asks something from all of us, from those of us who may have slightly more grey hair, and also from you – young people and the leaders of tomorrow.
We heard as we recited the Preamble that the Preamble tells us who we are as a nation.

It speaks of where we come from and it tells us where we need to go and what we need to do to become the nation envisioned by the Constitution.
It asks us to reflect on our journey, to renew our commitment to constitutional values, and to recommit ourselves to building a society where justice, dignity, and equality are lived realities.

Reflecting on Our Past

The youth of South Africa carried the struggle for liberation on their shoulders.
Their sacrifices at places like Sharpeville and Soweto are woven into the vision of the Preamble, when it calls for healing, justice, equality, and freedom.
The youth of South Africa were not merely witnesses to the liberation struggle; they were its pulse, its fire, and its conscience.
Their role was both catalytic and sacrificial, shaping the course of history in ways that continue to resonate today.
In the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, young people joined thousands of others in peaceful defiance against the hated pass laws.
Sixty-nine unarmed protesters were gunned down, and hundreds more were injured.

Among them was Selinah Mnguni, only 23 years old at the time and pregnant, who was shot in the leg but survived. Reflecting years later, she said: “The blood we sacrificed was worth it.”
Her words capture the spirit of resilience that would inspire generations of youth to continue the fight.
The massacre was a turning point, sparking mass protests and international condemnation, and it foreshadowed that which would later erupt in Soweto.
In 1976, the Soweto Uprising became another defining moment. Thousands of students took to the streets.
When the police opened fire, killing children like twelve-year-old Hector Pieterson, the world was forced to confront the cruelty of apartheid.
His image - carried lifeless in the arms of a fellow student - became a symbol of youthful sacrifice and defiance.  Leaders like Tsietsi Mashinini gave voice to their generation’s determination.
The sacrifices of the youth—hundreds killed, thousands imprisoned or exiled—were not in vain.

Their resilience, expressed through underground organizing, cultural resistance, and relentless protest, laid the foundation for the democratic order that followed.
When Nelson Mandela reminded the nation that “Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future,” he was acknowledging that the freedom achieved was carried on the shoulders of young people who refused to be silenced.

Their struggle resonates with the Preamble’s vision “to improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person.”
The youth fought precisely for this: the right to learn, to dream, and to live in a society where their humanity was recognized.
Today, the legacy of South Africa’s youth in the liberation struggle is inseparable from the Constitution’s promise “to build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.”

Their defiance against oppression was not only about dismantling apartheid but about creating a society where democracy could flourish.
The Preamble’s commitment to “lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people” is a direct continuation of the vision that young activists carried in their hearts and expressed in their actions.

Their courage reminds us that democracy is fragile, but with the energy and vision of youth, it can be defended and renewed.
In this way, the Constitution is not only a legal document but a living tribute to the young South Africans who transformed pain into possibility and sacrifice into freedom.
Human Rights Day, which we are commemorating tomorrow, reminds us of the sacrifices made so that every voice could be heard.

In 1994, young people played a vital role in ushering in democracy by voting in our first inclusive elections.
That historic moment gave birth to our constitutional democracy, a system built on human dignity, equality, freedom, and the rule of law.

Renewing Our Commitment

Our Constitution is both revolutionary and transformative.
It proclaims to the world that South Africa is committed to democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights.
It affirms that dignity, education, shelter, health, and safety are not privileges but fundamental rights. These rights belong to everyone – they are interconnected and indivisible.
And with rights come responsibilities.

For three decades, our Constitution has anchored democratic governance, expanded access to justice, and enabled major social advances in housing, education, healthcare, water, electricity, and social protection.

Yet, we must confront the persistent inequalities that remain: unemployment, poverty, corruption, and gender-based violence. These erode hope and betray the promise of transformation.
The Constitution promised transformation. We must ensure that promise is not betrayed.

The Challenges Facing Youth Today

I must speak honestly when I say that we have not yet arrived at our constitutional destination.
The journey is ongoing, and the road is not without obstacles.

Many of you face unemployment, limited access to quality education, inequality in opportunities, and the heavy burden of poverty in your communities.
Gender-based violence continues to rob young women of their safety and dignity.

Corruption undermines trust in institutions.
And too often, young voices are ignored in decision-making spaces where they should be leading.
These challenges are real. They are persistent. They can feel overwhelming.
But let me say this clearly: do not be discouraged.

The Constitution was never meant to be a finished product; it is a living document, a promise that requires each generation to breathe life into it.
The fact that challenges remain is a sign that the work of building our democracy is ongoing, and that your generation has a vital role to play in completing it.

Recommitting to the Future

For our constitutional democracy and our country to thrive we need young people, we need the youth.
This is your moment.

Our democracy thrives when you participate — when you vote, when you hold leaders accountable, when you ask difficult questions, and when you shape solutions.
Democracy is strongest when the youth know their rights and use them to ask the difficult questions, to speak truth to power and to give back to their communities.
Active citizenship is more than voting.

It is about staying engaged, being informed, and ensuring that leaders represent your lived experiences and ambitions.
As we approach the local government elections later this year, I urge you to participate and to use your vote as your voice.
I read, with great interest, the recent preliminary findings of the IEC Voter Participation Survey 2025/26 Perspectives on democratic and electoral dynamics in South Africa, undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council’s Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research team.

Here are some of the findings –

The survey concludes by saying that the 2026 local government elections is being planned in the most challenging pre-electoral climate observed over the last thirty years, marked by high levels of pessimism, frustration and disengagement and geographic disparities in patterns.

What this tells us, in short, is that all of us – whether as public representatives or as public servants – need to do more.
It also tells us that it is vitally important to encourage each and every person of voting age to register to vote and to cast their vote on the day.
The right to vote is a fundamental right – it is part of what we call our civil and political rights.
Our Constitution contains civil and political rights and it also provides for socio-economic rights.

One of the very important socio-economic rights is the right to education.
In many ways the right to education unlocks many other rights, as it helps to transform society.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a skills revolution, directing government to expand universities and TVET colleges, strengthen early childhood development, and promote technical and vocational pathways.

He said – “To enable

the youth of today to transform our society and secure their future, we are preparing the ground for a skills revolution.
We are undertaking a fundamental overhaul of the skills development system to implement a dual training model that integrates education with practical workplace experience.
We will reform and reduce the number of Sector Education and Training Authorities to improve governance, strengthen industry participation, raise the quality of training and better align skills development with the needs of the economy.
This includes improving the use of TVET colleges as the primary sites for occupational training and artisan development.
To support effective workplace-based learning, we will increase the proportion of the skills development levy returned to employers, restoring it to its original level of 40 percent.
We will also transform the National Skills Fund into a more agile, outcomes-driven instrument that supports unemployed young people to access workplace experience and employment, building on successful initiatives such as Jobs Boost.
These reforms will ensure that various training programmes we have in government are a door to opportunity, not a dead end.
To absorb the increasing number of young people passing matric, we will expand the opportunities for young people to enter institutions of higher learning.
I have directed the Ministers of Finance and Higher Education to work on a proposal to build more universities and TVET colleges with specialised areas of focus.
An immediate problem is the great shortage of student accommodation at our institutions of higher learning. I have directed the Minister of Higher Education to address this challenge, working with financial institutions on innovative ways in which government can provide student accommodation.”

From the side of government, we know that the most effective and sustainable way to build an economy is to equip people with the skills and know-how to drive it.
We will be strengthening the connection between the skills we develop and the skills the workplace needs, to ensure we capacitate people with relevant skills to enter the job market with confidence.

Youth as Nation Builders

Our Constitution is a living document.
But it cannot enforce itself; it requires agency from all of us.
The youth must become champions of this Constitution and vigilant defenders of our hard-won democracy.
This year’s commemoration is not simply about dates on a calendar.

It is a national civic renewal campaign — dialogues, debates, cultural events, and youth engagements — all designed to deepen constitutional awareness and social cohesion.
We will promote reading the Preamble in schools, host moot courts, translate constitutional materials into all languages, and mobilise the creative sector to tell the stories of ordinary South Africans whose lives have been transformed by constitutional justice.

Conclusion

To all the young people here today, you are the authors of South Africa’s next chapter.
The story of our nation is still being written, and your voice matters.
Your participation matters. Your future matters.
Yes, challenges remain. Yes, the road is long.

But history shows us that when young people rise, nations are transformed.
The youth of 1976 did not wait for permission; they acted.
The youth of 1994 did not sit back; they voted.
And now, in 2026, it is your turn to carry the torch.

Be curious. Be bold. Be active.
Be the leaders your communities need.
As Nelson Mandela said at the signing of the Constitution in 1996: “Let us join hands for peace and prosperity. In so doing we will redeem the faith which fired those whose blood drenched the soil of Sharpeville.”

Do not be discouraged by the challenges. Be inspired by them.
They are the very reason you must rise. They are the very reason you must lead. They are the very reason you must participate.

One Constitution. One Nation. Reflect. Renew. Recommit.

The future belongs to you.

I thank you.