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eventREF E-0012263Revised

Event record

Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners

Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners

Date
8 Jun 1976
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners

Security police arrived at Naledi High School and attempted to arrest the leader of the local branch of the South Africa Students Movement (SASM). In retaliation students stoned the police and burned their car. The first sign of Black unrest in Soweto schools was noticed by government authorities on 4 June. The students were unhappy about being compelled to use Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in 50% of subjects in secondary schools. The matter was reported to the Minister of Bantu Administration and Development and of Bantu Education, M. C. Botha. Eight days after unrest broke out at Naledi High School (16 June), Tsietsi Mashinini led the peaceful protest of learners in Soweto, in what became known as the June 16 uprising. This event is recognised annually in South Africa and commemorated as Youth Day.

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How we know this

  1. 01Anon, (n.d.), ‘The Youth Struggle,’ from South African History Online, [online] Available at www.org.co.za  [Accessed: 12 May 2011]
  2. 02Anon, (n.d.), ‘Teboho Tsietsi Mashsinini’, from South African History Online, [online] Available at www.sahistory.org.za  [Accessed: 12 May 2011]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012263

South African History Online (2011) 'Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012263 (Accessed: 29 July 2026).

South African History Online, Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012263, (accessed 29 July 2026).

"Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012263. Accessed 29 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Unrest breaks out at Naledi High School as Security police confront learners." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012263.

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