Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped

Date: 8 Aug 1960
Updated: 21 Jul 2026

On 21 March 1960, 69 Africans were killed when South African police opened fire on demonstrators, who were protesting against the pass laws in the township of Sharpeville, near Vereeniging in the Transvaal. Scores of people were left injured and others were detained. On 8 August 1960, charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre on 21 March were dropped by the Acting Attorney-General for the Transvaal, Mr. P.S. Claasen. According to reports, one of the detainees had died while in custody and 22 inmates still faced charges of public violence. Five months before the withdrawal of the charges, 52 Africans appeared before the Vereeniging magistrate and were denied bail. The accused were remanded in custody, but eventually bail was granted.

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01The Star, (8 August, 1960), “Charges against 53 Sharpeville Natives Dropped” [Available at the National Library of South Africa, Cape Town Campus] pg 1.
02AssataShakur Forums, (n.d.), ‘The Sharpeville Massacre 1960’ [online] Available at www.assashakur.org [Accessed: 04 July 2011]

Last updated · 21 Jul 2026

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, August 3). Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0067458

South African History Online (2011) 'Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped', South African History Online, 3 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0067458 (Accessed: 24 August 2026).

South African History Online, Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0067458, (accessed 24 August 2026).

"Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped." South African History Online, 3 Aug. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0067458. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Charges against 53 of the 76 Africans detained after the Sharpeville massacre are dropped." South African History Online. August 3, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0067458.