THE FUSE

“They shot at the front row in front of us and I saw that the police were all visible from the top of the Hippos. The one behind was also shooting. They also shot up to the third row. I was holding a girl, she fell, and as I started to pick her up, I was shot in the back. I let go of her and I started running and I was grazed by the bullet. I ran up to the house which was in front and I looked back at the scene, and I looked at what was happening. There were people trying to stand up but these were shot at again.” – Sydney Ntlanjeni, resident of Langa, Uitenhage, giving evidence to the Kannemeyer Commission of Inquiry into the Langa Massacre that occurred on Sharpeville Day, 21 March 1985. Forty-seven people died that day, 35 were shot in the back.