In 1959, the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) was set up as a breakaway movement from the ANC. Their leader, Robert Sobukwe believed that the ANC was too moderate.
The PAC was "Africanist"; members believed that only black South Africans should be allowed to rule in liberated SA.
The ANC accepted everybody, irrespective of race.
The PAC organised protests against pass laws, beginning with a series of demonstrations in March 1960.
On 21 March a demonstration took place in Sharpeville, protestors burnt their pass books.
The police claimed the Sharpeville protest was armed and aggressive, but others described it as initially friendly and good-humoured.
The police opened fire with machine guns and everyone started to run away. 69 people were killed; most of them shot in the back. About 180 were wounded.
Sharpeville inspired protest internationally.
The Court of Enquiry was set up to investigate the massacre decided that the shootings were "deliberate and unnecessary". No one was ever prosecuted and the government passed a law that prevented it from being taken to court.
