On June 16, 1976, thousands of Black South African students took to the streets of Soweto to protest the apartheid government’s imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools. What began as a peaceful march turned into a massacre that spread to parts of the country, as police opened fire, killing hundreds. Youth Day now commemorates their courage and resistance, and stands as a reminder of the power and cost of protest.
This Youth Day, in partnership with Homies, a community of creatives, OkayAfrica honors that legacy by celebrating a new generation of South African artists shaping culture on their own terms. Across genres, identities, and cities, 18 DJs and selectors reflect on what this day means to them. Their voices echo beyond beats and basslines.
Below, they reflect on being young in a country shaped by both struggle and spirit.
Charlie
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
CharlieLeads strategy and creative for Home is For Homies, Africa — building worlds through music and storytelling
An attorney and creative strategist, Charlie brings soulful storytelling to the booth. His sets fuse house, funk, and breakbeat to honor memory and movement. “Youth Day is a reminder that our freedom was fought for – loudly, bravely, and at great cost,” he says. “Being young in South Africa right now means we get to shape culture, challenge norms, and redefine success on our own terms.”
Majola
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
As the youngest Production Coordinator on the Home Is For Homies team, Majola is building a multifaceted life that combines her love for music with professionalism and grace.
With house, future bounce, and R&B in her arsenal, Majola DJs with grace and spiritual grounding. The Wits graduate views Youth Day as a call to resist being average. “The danger now isn’t oppression – it’s complacency,” she says. For her, youthhood is about potential: “We’re so free, so connected, yet imprisoned in the cycle of being spectators while others are building and creating. The world loves our energy, our ideas, our culture. But if we stay stuck in consumption instead of creation, we’ll miss the open door that history is handing to us right now.”
JustTravisCPT
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
JustTravisCPT says Youth Day honors young people, and that's dope because the next generations gotta stay inspired and empowered.
A renowned figure in Cape Town’s trap and hip-hop scenes, Travis is a sonic hustler with eight years of experience. “Being young can be different for everyone, depending on the stage of young you're in, but at the same time being young means you have a power to aspire and inspire,” he says.
Pona Colada
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Pona Colada began DJing as a means of survival during her teenage years after becoming financially independent
Pona Colada began DJing as a teen to survive, and has since travelled internationally. Known for nostalgic grooves and cultural rootedness, she says, “We literally fail more than we succeed. Your failures are part of the story and journey which makes you valuable. Failure is not a setback but instead an opportunity to step up and explore other ways to seek success.” Her sonic palette blends 3-Step, Gqom, and house into a language of resilience.
Kaddy
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Kaddy is the co-founder of Studio Bananaaa, a creative studio dedicated to telling unique, authentic local stories.
Katleho Motaung is both a DJ and an “occasional carpenter,” whose sets mix amapiano and house with precision. For him, Youth Day is about “commemorating the fallen youth of ‘76 who were brave enough to change the course of history for many generations, and it is important to me to show that us as the youth have power and the spirit to keep fighting for full freedom.”
Doowap
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Doowap is known for a multidimensional stage presence—mixing, dancing, styling, and performing with visual flair.
From Eswatini to Ibiza, Doowap’s genre-hopping sets and expressive stage presence have carved a global path. A diver-turned-DJ, her wisdom is simple yet bold: “Stay true to yourself, especially in creative and male-dominated industries like DJing and sound engineering. Embrace your individuality with the idea that you don't have to conform to anyone’s idea of success.” Her sound blends Barcardi, Gqom, drum and bass, and whatever else her fearlessness dares explore.
Nahledii
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Nahlediibelieves that DJing is an act of love — selecting each track with care to create a powerful, shared experience.
A genre-blender inspired by P_ssy Party workshops, Nahledii considers DJing an act of love. “[Youth Day] honours the Soweto Uprising and the freedom to use our voices in spaces that once erased us,” she says, and continues: “Being young now means building joy in a country marred by GBV and inequality — reminding others they deserve to be seen and celebrated.”
Yolophonik
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Yolophonik says that it’s important to invest in young people
Equal parts fun and futurist, Yolophonik’s remixes and alt-DJ sensibility bring funk house and trap to vibrant life. “It’s important that people invest in [the youth] so that they get to live better lives as they grow older,” he says. “There’s a lot of attention on the country right now, which is really exciting. I’m hoping that people get interested in the other parts of our music scene outside of Amapiano and Tech.”
Deniece Marz
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Deniece Marz is a multi-disciplinary creative: DJ, producer, curator, stylist, fashion-assert.
A fashion designer turned genre-fluid DJ, Deniece Marz cut her teeth at festivals like Afropunk and Oppikoppi. Her project ELEVEN ELEVEN has become a cultural staple in Joburg nightlife. Her advice to youth? “Don’t underestimate the importance and value of history and where it places you in context. History has a meaningful influence in understanding why you are the way you are.” Her sets, like her styling, honor roots and radiance.
sha.queer
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
sha.queer’s sets are intentionally diverse — designed to challenge norms, inspire movement, and encourage curiosity.
Known for boundary-pushing sets and queer-positive community building, sha.queer uses music as a tool for healing and resistance. “Youth Day to me is about showing gratitude and appreciation for what has come before me. I’m fortunate enough to be able to live the life I am living right now because of the many, many, many young people that fought before me, and that’s what really means to me, just gratitude,” she says.
LeloWhatsGood
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
LeloWhatsGood actively centers LGBTQIA+ visibility and cultural liberation, creating safe, inclusive spaces for queer youth as the founder of Vogue Nights Jozi (VNJ Ball)
Founder of Vogue Nights Jozi, LeloWhatsGood is a cultural force – a DJ, producer, writer, and ballroom icon. With bylines in The New York Times and beats on the dancefloor, he centers queer visibility. Youth Day, for Lelo, is about keeping the memories alive “for those who fought bravely for the amount of freedom we have today and also still work hard to preserve that and dream a better future for the next generation to come.” Lelo insists on embracing the duality of South Africa, where on one hand, “we are living in a time where we can have endless opportunities and enjoy the freedoms of the constitution,” while on the other, there is the reality of a deeply troubled youth. “We still have so much more work to do, and the best way to take things [head] on is to do our part and not rely on politicians. South Africa has some of the most incredible minds in all fields and some of the best talents on earth. We need to take care of our own because this is what we know to do best.”
Franadilla
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Franadilla is a DJ, designer, photographer, model, cultural archivist, and creative director.
Franadilla merges design, DJing, and Y2K nostalgia through his Franasonic project. “Youth Day means realizing the dreams of those denied them before me,” he says. “Being young today means taking responsibility for creating a reality that was previously unimaginable.” He’s as comfortable behind the decks as he is styling hyperreal worlds offline and online.
lochive.dj
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
LocHive believes in music that hits the heart — curating soulful, groove-driven sets that foster connection.
Lungelwa broke barriers as a woman in deep house and Afro-tech, racking up YouTube views and launching the “I Am A DJ” mentorship program. “Youth Day is a reminder that our freedom came at a price,” she says. “Being young in South Africa today means the world is my oyster and I can fully show up in the world as myself with fearlessness and with unshakeable confidence,” she says.
Athi Maq
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Athi is a DJ/selector celebrated for her vibrant stage presence and community spirit.
Selector and sound sculptor Athi Maq’s sets traverse jungle, acid, and house. For her, Youth Day is a day of “remembrance and reckoning,” she says. “[It’s] a call to honour the spirit of resistance, clarity, and courage shown by the young people of 1976 who walked into the fire for their dignity. For me, it’s also about the unseen layers of trauma that continue to echo through our schools, neighbourhoods, and bodies — especially for Black youth and those from historically marginalised communities.”
Tashinga
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
Beyond his music career, Tashinga is a cultural curator and creative entrepreneur.
With a footprint across Namibia, Botswana, Congo, and beyond, Tashinga is Afro-tech royalty. “Never be scared to reinvent yourself and start again and take chances, life is long and it’s never too late to switch up,” is Tashinga’s wisdom nuggets to the youth of today. “The significance of Youth Day to me is that I live in a generation where we walk among the products of the educational freedom that they were fighting for. We celebrate black graduates and professionals now because of their courage.”
mushroom.clouds_za (Lutho and Chuma)
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
The duo delivers Afro-infused Amapiano blends and often includes exclusive tracks, fostering a lively, joyful dancefloor environment.
This duo, comprising Lutho and Chuma, blends Sgija and Amapiano with a communal spirit. Founders of The Playlist Club, they’re reviving house parties and spreading joy. “No dream is too big, all dreams are attainable, and just do it without waiting for someone to tell you.”
GHXST Bunny
Photo by Lerato Mbawu
As a cultural producer, GHXST Bunny has also launched womxn-centric events through her initiative, #PrettyGirlsLikeEvents.
GHXST Bunny is steeped in amapiano and driven by purpose. “Youth Day is a reminder of what it means to be brave, to stand together in community and fight for our voices to be heard,” she says. “Being young in South Africa right now means carrying the responsibility of documenting our stories for future generations. We're living through a time where it's difficult to even reference our own histories because so much has been erased. So we create, we archive, we remember, so those who come after us won't have to start from scratch.”
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