Langa Massacre and SA in 1985 — Vignettes for resisting global authoritarianism
Excerpts from Mark Swilling’s new book, 1985: The Langa Massacre and the End of White Rule in South Africa, graphically tell the story of 1985 and why it was a historic turning point that many in our increasingly authoritarian world can learn from.
In 1985, the Langa Massacre marked a turning point in South Africa's struggle against white rule. On Sharpeville Day, 21 March, 47 people lost their lives as police opened fire on a crowd of protestors. Sydney Ntlanjeni, a resident of Langa, Uitenhage, recounted witnessing 35 victims shot in the back. The incident also involved a boy on a bicycle, Moses Bucwa, who was killed despite the police's initial assumption he was deceased.
Judge Kannemeyer acknowledged the extraordinary nature of the evidence, noting the policemen's stunned realization that the wheelchair-bound man was none other than the boy on the bicycle. This event underscored the brutality of the regime and its attempts to suppress dissent. The Langa Massacre serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those resisting authoritarian rule.
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