Police arrest 33 in Soweto

Press, 9 August 1976, Page 1

Police arrest 33 in Soweto

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg

Whites are still barred from entering the black township of Soweto after a day of comparative peace, marred by only one serious incident.

It happened in the Dobsonville area of the township, where the police made 33 arrests when Africans stoned houses.

Since Wednesday students have been boycotting classes and urging fellow blacks not to report for work in nearby Johannesburg. They are protesting against the continued de-

tention of a number of blacks, after riots in June which cost the lives of 176 people. Sources in the towmship thought that there would be further attempts to halt the more than 150,000 daily commuters from leaving to report for work. One further death in Soweto was officially confirmed yesterday. A black policeman was killed after a firearm went off when a colleague stumbled, a police spokesman said last night. The official death toll since the disturbances be gan last Wednesday is now six, although unofficial sources say that at least eight persons have died. In the first Government

reaction to the riots, the Bantu Affairs Minister (Mr Michael Botha) promised blacks greater autonomy in the segregated townships.

"The changes will offer greater opportunities for blacks to look after their own affairs, for them to serve themselves and to maintain real peace and order.” Mr Botha said He declined to provide details or a t’metahle for the concessions. Mr Botha was the Minister who announced tha* the Government would revoke the regulations making Afrikaans a compulsory language tn black schools. This was the issue which caused the June riots.