’Purple rain’ used on women protesters

Date: 24 Oct 1985
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The police in Adderley street, Cape Town used their new water cannons to suppress a Cape riot that had, for the third time, spread to White areas. The rioting spread from the Schotche Kloof Malay section of Cape Town. Rioting started when groups of women wearing T-shirts with the slogan "Troops Out" marched to the city centre to demand that troops, who were permanently stationed in townships because of the state of emergency, pull out of the townships. The police ordered the people to disperse, but the crowds refused. Finally, the police decided to use water canons with purpled dyed water to force the crowd to disperse. People dubbed this 'Purple rain' after the title of first album of songwriter Prince.

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01Weekly Mail. (1985). "' Purple rain' quells Cape riot ", Weekly Mail: Vol 1 (20). 25 to 31 October.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). ’Purple rain’ used on women protesters. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012617

South African History Online (2011) '’Purple rain’ used on women protesters', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012617 (Accessed: 3 August 2026).

South African History Online, ’Purple rain’ used on women protesters [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012617, (accessed 3 August 2026).

"’Purple rain’ used on women protesters." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012617. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "’Purple rain’ used on women protesters." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012617.