A boy aged 15, killed outside an Anglican Church in Soweto on 21 September 1977, was shot in front of his head by police, according to the post-mortem. One of the three policemen at the inquest who admitted firing into the crowd said that he had 'shot to kill'. During a demonstration in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth on 15 March Hector Mpande, aged 16, was shot dead by police. At the end of March police acted on three occasions to disperse demonstrators in Middelburg, Eastern Transvaal, protesting against township rent rises of 16–25%. On the first two occasions on 30 April and 31 March tear gas was used but on 3 April, when residents were addressed by the BAAB director and others, insisting that the rents be increased, police opened fire when they were called in and at least six people were wounded. After these incidents the Highveld Administration Board announced that the rent increases would be delayed until 1 July. In Soweto, police were on duty during the second elections for the Community Council. On the day of the election, 15 April, only 6% of the electorate went to vote.

Source pages

Page 13

p. 13