Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences

Date: 11 Mar 1982
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo, 25, and Mary Loate, 23 were given long term imprisonment under the Terrorism Act. Seathlolo was given 15 years and his companion, Mary was given 10 years. The two were convicted for events related to the 16 June 1976 uprising. On this day, more than 20 000 learners marched against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Black secondary schools. Seatlholo faced additional charges. These included leaving South Africa illegally and being a member of a banned organisation in exile. Other key leaders who played a major role were. Tsietsi Mashinini Murphy Morobe Seth Mazibuko Elias "Roller" Masinga Billy Masetlha Super Moloi Daniel Sechaba Montsitsi Trofomo Sono Sibongile Mthembu Mkhabela Titi Mthenjane Thabo Ndabeni Jefferson Lengane Paul Langa Hector Pieterson (killed in action)

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01SAHO, ‘Soweto students march against government's language policy’, from South African History Online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 07 February 2013]
02O’Malley, P., ‘1982’, from Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, [online], Available at www.nelsonmandela.org.za [Accessed: 07 February 2013]
03SAHO, ‘Key People in the June 16 Soweto Youth Uprising’, from South African History Online, [online], Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 07 February 2013]
04The Journal 1982 from African Defence Journal, Issues 17-28, pg 86

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, March 7). Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095243

South African History Online (2013) 'Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences', South African History Online, 7 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095243 (Accessed: 25 July 2026).

South African History Online, Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095243, (accessed 25 July 2026).

"Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences." South African History Online, 7 Mar. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095243. Accessed 25 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Two former Soweto student leaders, Khotso Seathlolo and Mary Loate are given long term sentences." South African History Online. March 7, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0095243.