Thirteen residents were gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police. This followed the declaration of a State of emergency on 25 July 1985 by President PW Botha in 36 of South Africa’s 260 magisterial districts. Within the first six months of the Emergency, 575 people were killed in political violence – more than half killed by the police. Under the provisions of the Emergency, organisations could be banned and meetings prohibited; the Commissioner of Police could impose restrictions on media coverage of the Emergency; and the names of detained people could not be disclosed. On 5 March 1986 Botha announced that he would lift the Emergency, and on 7 March the announcement was made law.
eventREF E-0096650Revised
21 November 1985
Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019
How we know this
- 01Boddy-Evans, A. ‘This Day in African History: 21 November’, [online], available at https://africanhistory.about.com [Accessed: 10 October 2013]
- 02South African History Online, ‘Liberation Struggle in South Africa’, [online], available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 11 October 2013]
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2013, November 14). Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096650
South African History Online (2013) 'Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police', South African History Online, 14 November. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096650 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
South African History Online, Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096650, (accessed 12 October 2026).
"Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police." South African History Online, 14 Nov. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096650. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "Thirteen residents are gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police." South African History Online. November 14, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096650.
Also on 21 November
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- 1989Last remaining SA troops have been withdrawn from Namibia
- 2004Millions of Zim refugees cross into SA
- 2004Joyce Kgoali dies
- 2025South Africa Declares Gender-Based Violence a National Disaster
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