Black schools open again

Press, 23 July 1976, Page 5

Black schools open again

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg Black pupils returned to school yesterday in African townships around Johannesburg just five weeks after student demonstrations and riots that left 176 people dead and more than 1000 injured. In an apparent reversal of Government thinking, the Justice Minister (Mr James Kruger) on Wednesday announced that the schools would reopen. Only a week ago he had said that they would stay closed because of fears that agitators planned new riots to coincide with the new school term beginning on Tuesday. His decision came after a meeting in Pretoria with black community leaders. It was taken despite fresh rioting in three areas on Tuesday that left two dead and more than 20 injured.

The black leaders, in their turn, promised to do all they

could to prevent new disturbances. Observers said the Government had decided that there was less likelihood of new violence if the schools reopened than if they stayed closed. The Government statement said Mr Kruger had also agreed to reconsider his country-wide ban on open-air meetings which is at present in force until the end of the month. , Rioting last month was triggered by controversy over the enforced use of Afrikaans as a teaching language. The Government has since backed down and said schools can choose between using English or Afrikaans in the classroom. The latest trouble differed from the week-long riots in Johannesburg’s Soweto township and elsewhere in that this time Indian traders as well as whites and Government offices were the target of black demonstrators.