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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 2. 7th March 1973

Remember the Sharpeville Dead

page 3

Remember the Sharpeville Dead

On March 21st 1960, sixty-nine black South Africans, demonstrating against the pass laws, were shot in the back by white police at the small township of Sharpeville.

Since the first white settlement was founded in South Africa in the seventeenth century, the white minority regime has comitted countless acts of brutality against the black and coloured majorities. But Sharpeville was one incident that shocked people all over the world. March 21st is now commemorated as a day when the world is reminded of the viciousness of the white minority South African regime.

This year, activity on Sharpeville Day in New Zealand has been organised by the National Anti-Apartheid Committee, after extensive consultations with all the local anti-apartheid organisations. During the day there will be widespread picketing of firms and businesses which profit out of the slave labour conditions of apartheid. The aim of this activity is to expose the way in which apartheid is maintained by trade and economic links.

On the evening of Sharpeville Day, Mr John Gaetsewe, the London representative of the multi-racial South African Congress of Trade Unions, will deliver an address on the meaning of Sharpeville, which will be broadcast to at least 18 centres throughout New Zealand. Mr Gaetsewe was living in South Africa in 1960 and he will be able to tell New Zealanders about Sharpeville and conditions in Africa. Mr Gaetsewe will spend 12 weeks travelling throughout the country, but will be concentrating on speaking to small groups outside the main centres. His visit is sponsored by a wide range of organisations, including the Federation of Labour, the Public Service Association, all national student groups, all anti-apartheid groups, the Maori Organisation on Human Rights, Nga Tamatoa, the Northern Maori electoral committee of the Labour Party and many other individual trade union, women's and youth groups.