Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
21 March 2025 | 15:00 CAT

Sixty-five years later, the truth of Sharpeville remains buried—will South Africa ever confront its past?

Sixty-five years after the Sharpeville Massacre, the question remains: Has South Africa truly honoured the sacrifices of those who lost their lives on that fateful day? As the nation reflects on one of the most pivotal moments in its history, many argue that the full truth remains obscured.

According to Tsoana Nhlapo, CEO of the Sharpeville Foundation, the historical record itself is flawed. “We are still told there were 69 people killed and 180 injured, when in reality, there were over 91 fatalities and 238 injured. Even today, the numbers we reference are not an accurate reflection of what truly happened,” she says.

Beyond the numbers, there is a deeper concern—the erasure of Sharpeville’s identity. The massacre, which took place in 1960 as part of the anti-pass law protests, has since been overshadowed by the broad theme of Human Rights Day. Nhlapo argues that this shift has diluted the significance of the event. “Renaming the day has affected the national conscience. Even in Sharpeville itself, young people don’t know what the day is about,” she explains in an interview with Radio Islam International.

This erasure is not just symbolic—it is tangible. Sharpeville, despite being home to three newly declared World Heritage sites, lacks the recognition befitting such a historical landmark. “If you come here, you wouldn’t feel like you’re standing on a site of global importance,” Nhlapo laments. “If you want to see human rights violations, come to Sharpeville.”

The neglect is evident in the community’s disillusionment. “People now celebrate the day by drinking, not mourning,” says Nhlapo, who describes avoiding main roads on this day due to the revelry. For a generation that has inherited democracy without experiencing the struggle firsthand, the massacre has become a distant story—one that has not been sufficiently preserved or passed down.

Yet, the silence surrounding Sharpeville is not accidental. “There is a significant cover-up,” says Nhlapo. “There are graves unaccounted for, missing people whose families have never found closure.” She references a man whose name is recorded in archives but whose grave has never been located. “Imagine the 20-plus families who still don’t know what happened to their loved ones.”

The trauma of the massacre was so great that even survivors struggled to tell their children the full story. “I grew up in Sharpeville, but I only learned what happened after matric,” Nhlapo recounts. “Our grandparents shielded us from the truth.”

For South Africa to truly honour the victims of Sharpeville, the country must reclaim the full history of the massacre. The numbers must be corrected, the memorials must reflect the gravity of the event, and the next generation must be educated on its true significance. Until then, the sacrifices of March 21, 1960, remain unheard.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Annisa Essack and Tsoana Nhlapo here.