 Antoinette Sithole speaks in Edwin Duncan Hall Friday about her experience with the Apartheid in South Africa. Photo by Christy Bullins
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by MARY ELIZABETH ROBERTSON
Lifestyles Reporter
She was 16 years old and watched her brother die before her eyes.
She watched classmates scream as they fled the street, taking cover wherever they could.
Antoinette Sithole watched the end of the Apartheid in South Africa on June 16, 1976, and Sithole came to Appalachian State University to share her story last week.
The Apartheid, or apartness, was a policy implemented by the Population Registration Act of 1950 under the National Party of South Africa, according to africanaencyclopedia.com.
Under the law, all South Africans were placed into three groups: Bantu (black), white or “colored” (mixed racial ancestory).
Through a series of laws, the Apartheid system dictated where members of each race could live, how well they could be educated and which public facilities they could use.
According to thefreelibrary.com, a new policy was implemented that required all classes at the secondary school level, or high school level, be taught in Afrikaans, the language of white rulers, as opposed to English, the language students had been taught their entire lives.
“[The students said] ‘Let us try to learn in Afrikaans,’” Sithole said. “But all students in the second level failed.”
In Soweto, a township outside Johannesburg, students gathered to protest.
“Students
felt this was a peaceful march,” Sithole said. “We didn’t tell our
parents there was going to be a demonstration that day.”
As they were marching, a shot was fired and everyone ran for cover.
“I saw my
younger brother on the other side of the pavement,” she said. “I called
out his name, he looked around and I ran over to him. I told him things
were getting out of hand, but I will get us home…I tried to be the
brave older sister, but really, I was scared.”
Sithole hid, until she saw someone carry her 12-year-old brother, Hector Pieterson, away.
“I saw shoes
that I knew were his,” Sithole said. “Then I saw him, with blood coming
from his mouth, being carried away by a man.”
A photo of
Sithole and of the man carrying a lifeless Pieterson, running from the
scene of the uprisings, is now one of the most poignant images from the
era.
According to
southafrica.info, the photograph, taken by Sam Nzima, serves as a
reminder of the anger and tragedy on that day and the black power shown
by the Soweto youth.
Sarah S. Bergstedt, director of International Outreach, escorted Sithole during her trip to Boone.
“She represents a living history for us,” Bergstedt said.
Bergstedt believes Sithole’s story is necessary to educate students on the importance of diversity.
“The best way
to teach about other cultures is to have someone from that culture
[speak],” she said. “Nothing takes the place of that personal
interaction.”
During
Sithole’s presentation in Edwin Duncan Hall Friday, sophomore undecided
major Kevin T. Zentmeyer learned about an event he knew little about.
“She had an interesting story,” Zentmeyer said. “She lived through all of that and didn’t let it destroy her.”
Zentmeyer said the lessons of the Apartheid in South Africa are lessons he would like to learn more of.
“I never knew
about the events of Soweto until now, but it’s definitely an event we
should study more about in classes,” he said.
The event is one that has left an indelible print on Sithole’s life.
“It is about
forgiving, though not about forgetting,” Sithole said. “Your roots
shape who you are to be today. [The Apartheid] was very painful and
emotional, but you still need to go forward with a positive spirit.”
Photo by Christy Bullins | The Appalachian
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