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eventREF E-0012264Revised

9 June 1976

Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans

Updated
6 Jun 2021
Black students in South Africa protest the Afrikaans language decree

Pupils at Naledi High School vented their anger by burning out a police car and damaging three other vehicles. The first indication of African unrest at Soweto schools was noticed by government authorities on 4 June, who reported it to the Minister of Bantu Administration and Development and of Bantu Education, M. C. Botha. On that date 2 000 Black students had been on strike in Soweto, protesting against the compelled use of Afrikaans as medium of instruction in 50% of subjects in secondary schools.

How we know this

  1. 01Keesing's Contemporary Archives, 13 August 1976, p. 27886
  2. 02About African History South African Students' Organisation [online] Available at: https://africanhistory.about.com [Accessed 6 June 2013]  

Last updated · 6 Jun 2021

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012264

South African History Online (2011) 'Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012264 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

South African History Online, Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012264, (accessed 22 October 2026).

"Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012264. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Soweto students begin protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012264.

Also on 9 June

  1. 1964UN Security Council urges SA government to end Rivonia Trial
  2. 1967Military service becomes compulsory for White South African men.
  3. 1975Final Commission report on University Christian Movement
  4. 1983MK operatives, Jerry Mosolodi, Terry Mogoerane and Thabo Motaung are executed
  5. 1986Alexandra Action Committee member is shot dead in Johannesburg
  6. 1990UN investigative team visits SA
  7. 1991Twenty-six miners trapped in a Swaziland coal mine are rescued with help from South Africa.
  8. 1998Schalk van Rensburg testifies before the TRC

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