More blacks die as Cape riots and arson continue

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 1

More blacks die as Cape riots and arson continue

NZPA-Reuter Cape Town Rioting and arson continued in black townships around Cape Town yesterday while the Minister of Justice (Mr James Kruger) assured South Africans that the police would be able to contain the violence. At least six blacks were reported to have been killed yesterday in a fresh outbreak of violence after Wednesday’s outbreak, when 23 blacks died in clashes with the police. Speaking on television, Mr Kruger said the authorities would be able to stem further rioting, whether in Johannesburg townships, where it began in June, or elsewhere in the country. “I think we have the whole thing in hand, and we will be able to contain it altogether,” he said. But further disturbances could be expected. The renewed violence, more than 1600 km from

the original trouble spots around Johannesburg and Pretoria, appeared likely to bring a significant extension of internal protest against South Africa’s white minority rule, observers said. ing have involved only the black community, but informed sources said that Government officials were anxious to prevent the spread of violent dissent into the Cape’s Coloured (mixed race) areas.

There have been unconfirmed reports of attempts to burn down two schools for Coloured children near the Nyanga township, where witnesses said four blacks were shot dead and six were wounded by the police yesterday. The shooting came after heavily armed riot police using tear gas failed to disperse a crowd of about 1000 blacks. The police then fired a volley of shots into the crowd and black

sources said four bodies were found after the protesters fled. In nearby Langa township, adults and about 300 students joined in a march on a police station. Several carried white flags and placards proclaiming, “We are not fighting — don’t shoot — just release our fellow students.” About 30 youths are still detained without trial after being arrested during June rioting in townships around Johannesburg in which 176 people died. Policemen fired tear gas to try to separate the children from the adults. But the children marched on, ignoring the gas and still singing hymns. Then one of their leaders was allowed into the police station to talk to senior officers. During the night, a school, medical clinic, post office, a beer hall, two liquor stores, and a civic centre were damaged by fire in Langa.

At the other main trouble spot, the Guguletu township, reporters waiting on the outskirts said they heard repeated bursts of rifle fire. The Johannesburg and Pretoria areas were relatively calm yesterday, but the police reported that 137 demonstrators had been arrested in Daveyton, a few kilometres east of Johannesburg. All were brought before a hastily-convened court and 92 sentenced to five cuts of the cane each for attending an illegal meeting. Seven were ordered to receive seven cuts. A police spokesman said last night that 76 white students at the University of Cape Town were arrested yesterday when they held a march of sympathy with the black protesters. Seventeen Coloured students from the University of the Western Cape were also arrested after a similar demonstration.