Survivors of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre Seek Justice After 66 Years
Eighty‑six‑year‑old Abraham Mofokeng still bears a bullet lodged in his spine from the Sharpeville massacre, the blood‑stained landmines that erupted when police opened fire on thousands of peaceful protestors in March 1960.
The event claimed at least 69 lives – a figure that recent research suggests may be closer to 91 – and exposed the apartheid regime’s brutal use of force against ordinary citizens. Yet a 1961 Indemnity Act, passed after the massacre, exempted police and state officials from civil or criminal liability for the killings and remains in force today.
From the historic town of Sharpeville, which is now a derelict township with crumbling streets, survivors and victims’ families have formed a legal alliance. Lawyers for Human Rights, backed by UK firm Leigh Day, have filed a High Court case to invalidate the Indemnity Act, arguing that it clashes with South Africa’s post‑apartheid constitution.
"The community is looking for reparations to enable healing, not just for us but for future generations," says Charne Tracey, one of the lawyers pro‑feering the case. A successful class action would allow dozens of victims and their relatives to sue collectively – a first for the Sharpeville community – and could trigger criminal charges against surviving officers if they are ever identified.
The Pursuit of justice is set against the backdrop of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which granted amnesty to many perpetrators. Critics, however, point out that police never applied for amnesty over the Sharpeville incident, leaving victims without official acknowledgement or compensation. Although the government has awarded some grants to recognised victims, survivors say these efforts fall short of the justice they demand.
The memorial park in Sharpeville, the Human Rights Precinct, now stands on 69 pillars – one for every life lost – yet the township itself is slowly reverting to dirt and the streets are lined with abandoned homes. Residents like Mofokeng, who still walks with a limp from a leg injury sustained during the protest, say that legal restitution could finally allow the community to heal from decades of trauma.
If the court overturns the Indemnity Act, it may mark a key step in closing the chapter on apartheid’s violent legacy. For the people of Sharpeville, the case offers a long‑awaited opportunity to move beyond the shadow of that bloody day and towards a future where past injustices are acknowledged and addressed.
Images by BBC.
