Unrest in Soweto closes schools

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 6

Unrest in Soweto closes schools

p \ Johannesburg The police yesterday scattered stone-throwing children trying to stop fellow pupils from going to school in Soweto, the sprawling \frican township outside Johannesburg, the Associated Press reported.

Xobody was injured, and last night Soweto was quiet, the Commissioner of Police for Soweto (BrigadierS. \V. Le Roux) said. But he added: “Children due back at school are staying at home because they are afraid of intimidation by certain unruly youths.” School principals in the township were meeting yesterday to discuss the position. Brigadier Le Roux said he believed attendance would improve today.

The schools were to reopen last Tuesday, but were i ordered to stay closed by the Police Minister. Mr James Kruger, because of continued . unrest in black townships. L The schools were closed in June after a week of rioting in Soweto and other black'l townships in which 176. i people were killed and more i than 1100 injured. The police said yesterday that;: most of the children gather-'i ing in the streets had seemed!' confused, and had been eager: to attend classes. In several other townships. , school buildings were dam-

aged by arson attempts during the week-end. the police said. In Randfontein, west of Johannesburg, a primary school was damaged by' fire in Sulelani township. An attempt was made to fire a high school at Vosloorus towmship, near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. About 30 black youths stoned a dormitory on Sunday night at the Botswana ITraining Centre, near Mafeiking, in Western Transvaal.