Antoinette Sithole, Hector Pieterson's older sister, has reflected on the traumatic experiences she endured during the turbulent days of the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976.
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To avoid being turned into a police spy, Antoinette Sithole, Hector Pieterson’s older sister, revealed that she had to pretend to be mentally challenged as police rounded up students involved in the Soweto uprising
On that tragic day on June 16, 1976, an estimated 10,000 students gathered in Soweto to voice their discontent over the education system designed to oppress black South Africans.
What began as a peaceful march quickly escalated into chaos as police arrived, unleashing terror on the youth with teargas, batons, and police dogs.
The government response was swift and brutal. Shortly after the riots, a Government Gazette revealed that 123 people had been banned in connection with the revolt, and by November of that year, over 700 individuals had faced detention, with many fleeing the country to escape the government’s iron grip.
According to her account, the police showed a complete lack of regard for her family's grief following their tragic loss. Her brother was one of the first casualties in a series of police actions that resulted in 575 deaths, with law enforcement responsible for 451 of those fatalities.
Sithole, who was 16 when she lost her 12-year-old brother, says in the aftermath of the riots, the police often summoned her for questioning, demanding information that could implicate key figures in the anti-apartheid movement, including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
This year sees South Africa observes 50 years since the Soweto uprising of June 16, 1976, when the bravery of tens of thousands of school children ignited a countrywide rebellion.
Image: Neil Baynes / Independent Newspapers
She recalls the extreme pressure she endured as agents revisited her home, probing her about a photograph where she sat next to Madikizela-Mandela.
"We were all harassed by the police. There were also constant police visits to my home, as they started quizzing me about Winnie Mandela over a photo where I am seated in front of her. I pretended that I did not know who Winnie was. When I really got tired of the constant harassment, I pretended that I had suddenly become mentally disturbed. It was the only way to deal with being turned into a spy," she reveals.
Sithole says that at the time, there was a lot of spying going around, and being seen with the police was something that was frowned upon.
"Those days were very bad, and there was a lot of spying going around, and being seen with the police could get you into trouble," she reflects.
For her, the pain of losing her younger brother, who has become the symbol of the uprising, has become better with time.
Reflecting on Hector’s love for kung fu and sports, Sithole says she doubts that her brother would have become a politician.
"Hector was a lovely child who loved kung fu movies. I do not think he would have become a politician. We must also remember that he was a child when he was killed. He was not into politics at all. However, he loved his kung fu movies and would save up his money so he could go out to watch movies every Saturday."
As South Africa commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Soweto uprising, Antoinette Sithole remembers her younger brother, Hector Pieterson.
Image: Rowan Abrahams / ACMstudio
Over the years, Sithole has found purpose in sharing Hector's story with both locals and international guests who visit the Hector Pieterson Museum in Orlando West, Soweto. Conducting tours has become a new form of storytelling for her, imparting the significant contributions made by her brother and his peers during an era of immense struggle and sacrifice.
On a personal level, the Pieterson family honours Hector's memory through regular visits to his final resting place at the Avalon Cemetery, also in Soweto, where he and other victims are buried.
"While we do not want to disturb him from his eternal rest, we visit him at Avalon Cemetery at least twice a year. It is our way of keeping his spirit alive," she shares.