Meaning Of Soweto

• A city of northeast South Africa was the scene of violent rioting in 1976, when a student protest led to clashes with police.

Cause

• In 1976, students in the town of Soweto rose up against apartheid in South Africa. Police killed hundreds.

• The problem in Soweto started because the government wanted black students to be taught Afrikaans but their native language was English. (Called Bantu Education)

Problem

• This was a problem for the students because they felt that Afrikaans was the language whites.

• Some other problems were overcrowding, high drop out rates in schools, the racist curriculum and poorly maintained facilities

Rights Denied • Denied access to jobs • Black students received

inferior education.• The government spent

15 times more on the education of a white child than on the education of a Black child.

• Quote from law – “Natives must be taught at

an early age that equality with the Europeans is not for them.”

Why They Rebelled

• The children were • tired of apartheid policies,• tired of seeing their

parents oppressed by the government

• tired of being denied their freedom,

• they had nothing to lose…. • The morning of June 16,

1976 the students took action.

The Results• Official reports

claimed that 700 children died over the course of the year that the student uprisings occurred

• South Africa now recognizes June 16 as “Youth Day” in honor of the victims of that massacre.