Sharpeville Massacre

Question 1

When was the Sharpeville Massacre?

Answer 1

21st March 1960

Question 2

Who was the Sharpeville Massacre led by?

Answer 2

Nyakane Tsolo

Question 3

Who was Nyakane Tsolo?

Answer 3

A local PAC leader.

Question 4

Where did the crowd gather?

Answer 4

Outside the Sharpeville police station.

Question 5

What was the crowd demanding from the police?

Answer 5

They demanded to be arrested for not carrying their passes.

Question 6

What was the name of the Lieutenant that arrived with police reinforcements?

Answer 6

Colonel Pienaar

Question 7

Give 2 reasons why the policemen at the scene were bad.

Answer 7

• Poorly trained
• Not familiar with crowd control

Question 8

What percentage of people were shot in the back?

Answer 8

70%

Question 9

What was the official number of deaths?

Answer 9

69

Question 10

What was the official number of those wounded?

Answer 10

186

Question 11

Who exonerated the police of any blame? What did they say instead?

Answer 11

The Government Wessels Commission of Enquiry - said the police acted in self defence against a hostile crowd.

Question 12

Who passed the Security Council Resolution 134? What did this mean?

Answer 12

The UN - it comdemned the South African government, calling for the abolition of apartheid.

Question 13

When was the global Anti-Apartheid Movement founded?

Answer 13

1960

Question 14

Where was the AAM founded?

Answer 14

London

Question 15

What two groups were created following the events at Sharpeville?

Answer 15

MK and Poqo

Question 16

When was the State of Emergency declared?

Answer 16

30 March, 1960

Question 17

What made the ANC and PAC illegal in 1960?

Answer 17

The State of Emergency declaration.

Question 18

When was John Vorster appointed Minister of Justice?

Answer 18

1961

Question 19

When was the Sabotage Act introduced?

Answer 19

1962

Question 20

What was the Sabotage Act? What did it mean for people?

Answer 20

• Carried the dealth penalty for acts of sabotage
• Guilt was implied; had to prove innocence
• Allowed security forces to use torture to extract confessions

Question 21

What did the General Laws Ammendment Act of 1963 mean?

Answer 21

Allowed authorities to arrest anyone for 90 days without having to bring charges against them or give them access to a lawyer.

Question 22

What was the Subukwe Clause? What did it allow the security forces to do?

Answer 22

Keep people in prison beyond the end of their sentence.

Question 23

When did the Bantu Laws Ammendment Act come into effect?

Answer 23

1965

Question 24

What did the Bantu Laws Ammendment Act entail? What did this lead to?

Answer 24

• Empowered authorities to arrest any African from any urban or white farming areas for any reason.
• It gave authorities complete power over Africans in ‘white’ South Africa; anyone who caused problems, or it was felt had potential to do so, could be removed.