The Soweto Uprising leaves 174 blacks and two whites dead following 10 days of rioting

The student-led protests in Soweto in 1976 known as the Soweto Uprising claimed many lives and left many injured. The protests began in Soweto schools and spread across the country. The unrest was a response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. Black people resented Afrikaans because it was seen as the language of the oppressor. The government’s proposed plan was to compel students to take half of their content subjects like Biology and Mathematics in Afrikaans and the other half in English. Students vehemently refused to be taught in Afrikaans. In just 10 days of rioting, the official death toll was 174 Blacks and two Whites.  The number of wounded was 1,222 Blacks and six Whites. 1,298 were arrested for offences ranging from attending illegal meetings, arson to terrorism and furthering the aims of banned organizations.