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[[== Hector Peterson ==]]
On June 16, 1976
This day left more than 566 people dead throughout the country. The children of Soweto were marching, protesting against being taught in Afrikaans. Firstly, they had used their African languages as their first language and English as their second, so learning in a new language would have proved more difficult, and secondly it was the oppressor’s language. They also had to deal with ‘Bantu education’ which was already in effect. This kind of curriculum had limited them greatly in terms of proper education. According to Antoinette, Hector’s sister, who was also present on the march, she had ran to a hiding place during the shooting, she suddenly saw a young man caring the body of her brother and then ran to him. Mbuyisa Mkhubo had found Hector and was trying to get him help, when he found them a lift on a press car. Shortly, when they reached the clinic, Hector was pronounced dead. When Hector’s mother was called home, and the news delivered to her, she had been strong, for both her and her children. The riots continued to spread throughout the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths and great political violence. The picture of Mbuyisa carrying Hector’s body had been printed on news papers and broadcasted on television, for the whole world to see.
This photo of that young boy has stayed embedded on the minds of many. It is said that the Soweto Uprising, had marked the beginning of the end of apartheid, for the idea of making Afrikaans as medium of instruction in Black schools was dropped a month later and it also opened the door for negotiations. The World newspaper that Nzima worked for was banned and Nzima went into hiding shortly after. The police still continued to look for him. Mbuyisa Mkhubo went to exile after being harassed by the police.
[edit] HECTOR PETERSON MEMORIAL
A Hector Peterson Museum has been built in Orlando West, Soweto, in honor of the young hero and in memory of the people who died in the riots. The memorial is located near to where he was shot by the police. With the kind donation of R16-million from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and also a donation of R7,2 million by the Johannesburg City Council. Antoinette Sithole, Hector’s sister, now works at the museum.
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LINKS
1. allafrica.com/stories/200106170003.html 2. http://www.geocities.com/spirit_of_blackness/hector_peterson.htm 3. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/africa/06/15/inside.africa/ 4. http://www.joburg.org.za/october/hector.stm 5. http://www.soweto.co.za/gallery/SowetoLife/hector_memorial.html 6. http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=johannesburg@81&cur_section=fea&feature=30006
BIBLIOGRAPHY • Dave, Lucille (October 24, 2001) • Lewis, Lester
