ABSTRACT
The youth leadership in those organizations and political actions was essential to galvanizing the youth to step up against apartheid policies. Before examining the youth leadership in conflict response, it is important to define the highly controversial concept of 'youth'. Thus it is important to focus on youth leadership in the country's past, present, and future. In this context, this chapter summarizes the role of the South African youth in the pre- and post-apartheid periods to comprehend the existing state of youth in South Africa. However, this chapter presents a different picture of youth by examining the peacebuilding efforts in South Africa in order to understand whether or not the post-apartheid period has provided the necessary conditions for youth to realize their potential. Thus the chapter focuses on the leadership role of South African youth in history in order to contribute positively to the literature.
