In 1976 , secondary students in Soweto took to the streets in the Soweto uprising to protest against the imposition of Afrikaans as the only language of instruction . On 16 June , police opened fire on students protesting peacefully . According to official reports 23 people were killed , but the number of people who died is usually given as 176 , with estimates of up to 700 . In the following years several student organisations were formed to protest against apartheid , and these organisations were central to urban school boycotts in 1980 and 1983 and rural boycotts in 1985 and 1986
Soweto uprising
Soweto uprising
Apartheid