Sharpeville/Massacre
Sharpeville - a township between two large industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in southern Gauteng. Sharpeville is one of the oldest of the six townships in the Vaal traingle
The Sharpville Massacre (March 21 1960) occurred at the police station in Sharpeville in Transvaal (today part of Gauteng). People came to the police station offering to get arrested for not carrying their passbooks (they were trying to make a point -- like the US freedom riders had done). South African policemen had opened fired on the crowd (about 300 people), injuring at least 180 black Africans and killing 69 people. Some stated that the crowd were peaceful while some stated that the crowd were hurling stones at the police and the shooting only began where the crowd had advanced toward the fence around the police station. Today, South Africa celebrates March 21st as a public holiday honoring human rights and the Sharpeville massscre
Sharpeville - a township between two large industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in southern Gauteng. Sharpeville is one of the oldest of the six townships in the Vaal traingle
The Sharpville Massacre (March 21 1960) occurred at the police station in Sharpeville in Transvaal (today part of Gauteng). People came to the police station offering to get arrested for not carrying their passbooks (they were trying to make a point -- like the US freedom riders had done).
South African policemen had opened fired on the crowd (about 300 people), injuring at least 180 black Africans and killing 69 people. Some stated that the crowd were peaceful while some stated that the crowd were hurling stones at the police and the shooting only began where the crowd had advanced toward the fence around the police station. Today, South Africa celebrates March 21st as a public holiday honoring human rights and the Sharpeville massscre
Source:
http://africanhistory.about.com/od/apartheid/a/SharpevilleMassacrePt1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpeville_massacre
http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/sharpeville-massacre-21-march-1960
Pictures:
http://i.nona.net/locmap_SHARPEVILLE_27.7153333X-26.8033333X28.0513333X-26.5633333.png
http://media-3.web.britannica.com/eb-media/29/137029-004-C44C8C02.jpg