16/06/2026
Youth Day Message | 16 June 2026💚💛
Happy Youth Day to all the young people of South Africa.
Today we remember 16 June 1976. Young people stood up against what was wrong in their time. They rose with courage, even when it was hard.
In 2026, we face our own challenges. Not just physical ones, but spiritual ones too. Drugs, alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy... and one of the biggest is mental health.
Too many young people have no safe place to speak and be vulnerable because of what’s happening in their families. So it piles up in your mind until you try find something to numb it.
Let’s be aware. Mental health is a pandemic growing in our nation. Let’s take care of ourselves.
So I ask you: Find someone you can talk to. Be vulnerable with a friend, a mentor, a trusted elder. Don’t carry it alone. And fill your time with things that build you - play sport, join modelling, create, learn. Don’t let your mind be empty.
These battles are not just in the streets. They’re in the mind and heart. They need us to be sober. They need us to be strong.
So I say to you today: Let’s rise. Not in our time. Not under our watch.
The choices you make today will shape your tomorrow. Choose your friends wisely. Not just who’s popular, but who will support you and correct you when you’re wrong.
Be responsible for your actions. Find out who you are. Pursue your dreams.
And remember: we cannot do this alone. Without the Lord, we cannot make it. What we’re facing today is spiritual. We wrestle with unseen forces that want to break families and break the future.
I’ve walked with young people for over 15 years now. I’ve learned that many problems start in broken homes. So let’s rise up and fix the mistakes of the past. Be responsible now, so that when it’s your time as a parent, your home will be different.
If there’s no enemy inside you, the enemy outside can’t destroy you. Fix yourself. Focus. Pray. Pursue your dreams.
Enjoy your Youth Day. Make it count.
God bless you 🙏🏽
Youth Impact Vionary & Youth Impact Academy Chairman ✨️
Pst L Mathafeni