Antoinette Sithole, Hector Pieterson's older sister, has reflected on the traumatic experiences she endured during the turbulent days of the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976.
To avoid being turned into a police spy, Antoinette Sithole, Hector Pieterson’s older sister, revealed that she had to pretend to be mentally challenged as police rounded up students involved in the Soweto uprising
On that tragic day on June 16, 1976, an estimated 10,000 students gathered in Soweto to voice their discontent over the education system designed to oppress black South Africans.
What began as a peaceful march quickly escalated into chaos as police arrived, unleashing terror on the youth with teargas, batons, and police dogs.
The government response was swift and brutal. Shortly after the riots, a Government Gazette revealed that 123 people had been banned in connection with the revolt, and by November of that year, over 700 individuals had faced detention, with many fleeing the country to escape the government’s iron grip.
