Nationwide unrest continued in South Africa throughout August and September. For the first time demonstrations by black people took place in the 'white' city centres of Cape Town and Johannesburg rather than in the townships. There were also several reports of agricultural arson - fires being deliberately started on white-owned farms as an expression of protest by rural Africans.
Continuing from FOCUS No. 6 (page 2) main events are summarised in the following chronology:
August 23 Second stay-at-home by Soweto residents. 24 Soweto hostel residents attack township homes, apparently with police encouragement and orders to kill local leaders. Clashes in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town.
Sept 1 Stay-at-home by Port Elizabeth residents begins. 2/3 City centre demonstration in Cape Town, met by tear gas and shooting. Several deaths. 7/8 More clashes in Cape Town and nearby towns including Stellenbosch. First African demonstration in Kimberley. 10 Large demonstration by Coloured schoolchildren in Port Elizabeth. 11/12 Unrest continues in W. Cape. Also at Lovedale and Uitenhage. 13 Third Soweto stay-at-home, with approx. 80% success. 14 African schoolchildren stage protest marches in Port Elizabeth and Durban. Hundreds arrested. 15 As Soweto stay-at-home comes to an end, Cape Town stay-at-home begins. Virtually 100% success. Clashes in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein. 16/17 Severe clashes in Athlone (Cape Town); at least 15 people killed by police. 17 Six Soweto children shot dead during anti-Kissinger demonstration. 20 Three day stay-at-home by Tembisa residents begins, with 100% support.
WHITE FARMS BURNT About 30 veld fires have been reported on farmland in the Transvaal, Orange Free State, Northern Cape and Natal. Livestock, crops and buildings valued in millions of rand have been destroyed. Such fires are a farming hazard, and can be caused accidentally or by lightning, but the number and location of recent fires suggest arson.
One victim was the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Hendrik Schoeman, whose Transvaal farm suffered R100,000 damage. Another was Prime Minister Vorster's son-in-law Mr. Andre Kolver, who lost 2000 sheep and suffered much damage to land and buildings at his Orange Free State (OFS) farm (ST 26.9.76)
About 150,000 ha. of grazing land were destroyed in the Fauriesmith area of the OFS. Other fires occurred at Luckhoff and Heilbron. Cape districts to suffer include Kuruman, Colesberg, Molteno, Middelburg, Rosmead, Schoombee and Dordrecht. In Natal 10,000 ha. of grazing land near Greytown was destroyed on 12 farms, while sugar and timber plantations near Maritzburg were also burnt. (RDM 21.9.76)
In the Eastern Transvaal at least seven sawmills and surrounding forest have been burnt down at Jessevale, Carolina, Rooihoogte, Amsterdam, Tweefontein and Middelburg. Several Africans have been arrested in connection with the fires. (RDM 7/13.9.76)
A grass fire at Modderfontein spread and set fire to a dynamite plant on 19 September causing an enormous explosion which some white residents thought was sabotage. Arson was not suspected but the police chief in charge of riot control later confirmed that police had shot five Africans after Blacks tried to hinder firemen fighting the blaze. A chemicals factory at Kew, Johannesburg, not far from Alexandra township, had been gutted by fire a few nights earlier. (RDM 15/20/21.9.76)
