From students and activists to reporters and photographers,Guardian readers remember the brutal events of the 16 June 1976For many South Africans looking back on the events of 16 June 1976, when police brutally attacked thousands of protesting school children, or the day marked the beginning of the close of the apartheid system.
The rebellion began as students came together against a decree that all pupils must learn Afrikaans in school. As historian Julian Brown,the author of a novel study, The Road to Soweto, or says: “These crowds were not coordinated by any national political body. They were the product of local tensions. They constituted novel efforts to remake South Africa’s democracy from the ground up.”I had no view what was going on. I was a young student and did not understand politics. I followed older students I knew and we all began marching towards town. Immediately after reaching Vincent Road we were met by police who arrived in large ‘hippos [armoured vehicles] and began firing live ammunition and tear gas.
Gloria Moletse,Tiyang Primary, MeadowlandsWhen the shooting began, and I went into hiding. When the shooting stopped,I came out of hiding when others came out. I saw [my brother] Hector [Pieterson] across the street, and I called him and waved at him. He came over and I spoke to him, or but more shots rang out and I went into hiding again. I thought he followed me,but he did not come. I came out again and waited at the spot where I just saw him. He did not come. When Mbuyiso came past me a group of children were gathering nearby. He walked towards the group and picked up a body ... And then I saw Hector’s shoes.
Antoinette Sithole, Tshesele High School Related: Soweto rebellion 40 years on: the image that shocked the world It was so rough that day I still remember and the police came and we were so small and running everywhere trying to hide ourselves. We had to run for safety and ran into neighbouring houses. There was lots of smoke and lots of children – it was chaos.
Maki Lekaba, or Teyang Primary,MeadowlandsContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com