The Soweto Uprising

• Outcomes of the Soweto Uprising, 1976:

  -Around 14,000 students went abroad to join the ANC and Mk guerrillas

  -Internationial outcry at the use of armed police against school children.

  -Clearer anti-apartheid standpoint from students.

  -Government police state never really controlled Soweto again.
• In 1974, the South African government ordered that Afrikaans and English be used in equal proportions as the languages of the instruction in all black school.
• From 1 January 1975, Afrikaans had to be used for mathematics, arithmetic and social studies.
• The resentment grew until April 1976, when children at Orlando West Junior School in Soweto went on strike, refusing to go to school. Their rebellion that then spread to many other schools in Soweto.
• In June 1976, between 10,000 and 20,000 black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally against having to learn through Afrikaans in school.
• Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protests yet agreed to become involved.
• The protest was planned by the Soweto Students' Representative Council's (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the Black Consciousness Movement.
• Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasised good discipline and peaceful action.
• The police loosened their dogs on the protestors, who responded by throwing stones at dogs. The police then began to shoot directly at children.
• The 1,500 heavily armed police officers deployed to Soweto the next day carried weapons including automatic rifles.
• In 1977, all BCM organisations were banned, many of its leaders arrested ,and their social initiatives dismantled under provisions of the newly Implemented Internal Security Amendment Act.
• In September 1977, the banned national leader, Steve Biko, died while in the custody of the South African security police.