Declaration of Sharpeville Massacre Sites As National Heritage Sites
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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE STAATSKOERANT, 30 DESEMBER 2016 No. 40526 13 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE NO. 1606 30 DECEMBER 2016 1606 National Heritage Resources Act (25/1999): Declaration of the Sharpeville Massacre sites as National Heritage sites 40526 SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE RESOURCES AGENCY DECLARATION OF THE SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE SITES AS NATIONAL HERITAGE SITES By virtue of the powers vested in the South African Heritage Resources Agency, in terms of section 27 (5) of the National Heritage Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999) SAHRA hereby declares three of the Sharpeville Massacre Sites namely the Memorial Garden located on Erf 9172, the Police Station on Erf 9175 and the graves of the 69 people killed at the massacre located in the Phelindaba Cemetery, Theunis Kruger Street Vereeniging, as National Heritage Sites. Statement of Significance The 21st March 1960 marked a critical turning point in the history of South Africa when police opened fire on a peaceful march led by the Pan Africanist Congress in protest against the pass laws. Marches were organised in both Sharpeville (Gauteng) and Langa (Cape Town). This display of police brutality in which 69 people died, was to become known as the Sharpeville Massacre. Demonstrations and riots broke out across the country in reaction to the police response to both protests in Sharpeville and Langa. This led to the first declaration of a State of Emergency under Apartheid, and saw the banning of the ANC and Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). This brutal response from the State was the catalyst for the move away from passive resistance to armed struggle. The massacre inspired the painting of the “Black Priest” by Ronald Harrison (itself an important Struggle artwork that raised funds for Defence and Aid Movement). As testimony to the brutal force used to enforce the racial policies of the Apartheid administration, the Sharpeville Police Station, the Memorial Garden and the graves of the victims commemorate and honour those who bravely marched in protest against the forced relocation and restricted movements imposed by the Pass Laws and lost their lives on 21st March 1960. Schedule The demarcations of the Sharpeville Massacre Sites are as follows: Site name Erf No/ Province Town Municipalities Farm District Local Municipality Municipality Sharpeville 9175; Gauteng Vereeniging Sedibeng District Emfuleni Local Police Station Sharpeville Municipality Municipality Memorial 9172; Gauteng Vereeniging Sedibeng District Emfuleni Local Garden Sharpeville Municipality Municipality Site Name Grave Cemetery Province Town District Local Numbers Municipality Municipality Sharpeville 1864 – Phelindaba Gauteng Vereeniging Sedibeng Emfulenei Local Massacre victims 1932 Cemetery District Municipality Grave Sites Municipality This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za L.No. 171/ 1986 14 250 ,5i A: GENERAL PLANSHEETS 1 SHEET 5 ( CONSISTING OF 6 No. 40526 9189 SHARPEVIOF PART OF THE TOWNSHIP LLE OF Approvedfor Surveyor - General PROVINCEDEVELOPMENT: TRANSVAAL BOARD ORANJE - VAAL Scale 1 1000 Surveyedin September to November 1985 LANDJ. Lake SURVEYOR \%; NA-4>> aE OWNSN\P GAZETTE, GOVERNMENT 1 51. st._. 1\t._'aG g193 30 DECEMBER2016 , 06\\ 9196 V STREET 9173 Br. xo2 oic- -,RN 02I -,W AON, E RN-Ra 03 c STREET -4e - S^' / 8831 8830 8761 8760 8691 B690 ti I8621 8620 Q 8661 9167 j i W ' '?1 ,1, At, See Sheet 6 w::( N See Sheet 2 SeeFileSheet NO 47 3 CompilatIOnDeedeSurvey Recorde:PTA(ASI K /86-34 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za.