Soweto: the uprising that changed South Africa

Soweto: the uprising that changed South Africa

From Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast by ABC Australia

June 10, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the 1976 Soweto uprising and its impact on South Africa's fight against apartheid.

In June 1976, thousands of students took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa, to protest a government decision to make Afrikaans a compulsory language of instruction in Black schools. When police opened fire on the demonstrators, at least 200 students were killed. The violence sparked a wave of protests across the country, growing into a nationwide uprising against apartheid. Guest: Professor Noor Nieftagodien, Head of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Guest: Seth Mazibuko, 1976 student protestor, activist and former teacher. Producer: Ali Benton

People in this episode

Host: Ali Benton

Guests: Professor Noor Nieftagodien, Seth Mazibuko

Topics covered

  • apartheid
  • student protests
  • historical events
  • South African history
  • activism
  • government policies

Keywords

  • Soweto
  • uprising
  • South Africa
  • apartheid
  • student protests
  • Noor Nieftagodien
  • Seth Mazibuko
  • activism
  • history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of the Witwatersrand

Places: Soweto, South Africa

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