“I Saw a Nightmare…”
Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976
by Helena Pohlandt-McCormick
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List of Slogans on Banners and Placards Carried During the Soweto Uprising

SAB K345, Volume 84, File No. 2/2/1/12/12

Texts transcribed exactly as they appeared. This box of evidence (mostly black and white photographs of the original banners, placards and posters) from the Cillié Commission has since been misplaced in the archive. Despite the best and ongoing efforts of archivists, they have not been recovered.

DETENTION/IS/COWARDY
[unclear; cardboard]

RELEASE/RAMMEKOA/PAUL/AND STOP/CALLING US/KIDS
[piece of cardboard box]

RELEASE/ZWELI SIZANE

OUR "KINDERS"/BACK ! HOM[E]
[only partially visible]

THOSE DETAIN
[ED]/RELEASE THEM!

AWAY WITH THAT/AFRIKAANER MIND
[?]/KRUGER???
[torn cardboard]

NO JOB/OR ELSE

CONWRIGHT/STOP PESTERI/NG OUR PEOPLE

AWAY WITH/BOTHA THE/DOG. KRUGER/THE WIZARD/POWER
[placard on a pole]

KRUGER/WHERE IS/MAGUATA MOLEFE

ABOLISH/BANTU EDUCA/TION/SEC x BPA
[small cardboard fragment]

RELEASE/ALL STUDENT/KRUGER
[torn cardboard]

DETENTI/ON IS A/DESTRUVTI/VE DECISION

RELEASE/TOM MANTHATA/OR ELSE

AZEKHWEZWA
[wooden board]

STOP YOUR SILLY IDEAS/RELEASE OUR/BROTHERS/WE WANT THEM/BACK
[large cardboard/clapboard; black lettering over white chalk; ca. 2" x 2"]

KRUGER RE-/LEASE PEACE/LOVING STUDENT/S
[cardboard]

THERE/COMES/KRUGER/THE DOG
[on piece of cold water Omo carton]

"DETAIN"
[unclear]/STUDENTS/=STUPID/FASHION

AZIKHWELWA/AWAY/WITH/BANTU
[placard on a stick]

VORSTER/TO HELL !! AND/RELEASE/MANDELA

DETENT/ION IS DESTRUC
[T]/IVE/DECISION
[on square piece of wood]

DETENTION/IS/IMMORAL
[placard on stick, surface looks like a wooden door w/ hinges; light paint]

RELEASE ALL/STUDENT DETAINED/AND ARRESTED/DURING THE/"RIOTS"
[whitechalk letters on what looks like a piece of chalkboard]

UNITED WE/STAND/DIVIDED WE/FALL
[white paper]

VORSTER/AND YOUR/GANS
[guns] - TO/HELL.

BLACK POWER
[piece of pressboard w/ holes; placard on stick also with writing on it, but illegible because covered by another placard]

WE ARE A NEW/GENERATION/WEÕVE GOT NO/TIME FOR BOERS
[cardboard from a box attached to thin branch]

WHY THESE/SILLY/DETENTIONS
[chalkboard on a stick]

AMANDLA/IS UNITY
[broken off piece of board attached to wooden stick]

RELEASE BLACK STUDENTS
[white paint on door; hinges still visible]

KRUGER MINISTER/OF INJUSTICE/IS A HONKY/BY ORDER
[torn board; fragment]

POWER/TO THE/BLACK/STUDEN/TS

AZIKW-/ELWA/RELEASE/ALL STUDENTS
[perhaps 3foot x 3foot pressboard]

AZIKWELWA
[wooden plank; holes for screws in corners visible]

AZIKHWELWA
[pressboard on a stick]

AWAY WITH/BANTU/EDUCATION
[again, small half-sized door - as from a supplies or library cupboard - with lock still visible, mounted on short wooden stick]

OUR PARENTS/HELP! WE/WANT BACK STUDENTS
[chalk on rectangular chalkboard]

DETAIN US ALL
[on wooden long plank]

LET AFR-/ICANS GET/EQUAL/RIGHTS
[chalkboard]

KRUGER/RELEASE/STUDENTS
[framed chalkboard]

BE REAL BLACK/PARENTS & HELP/KENNY RACHIDI
[box cardboard]

MANDELA/THE TRUE/LEADER

KRUGER/RELEASE/SETH/MAZIBUKO

WE WANT/EQUAL/EDUCA/TION

OH! SETH./AFRIKA IS IN NEED/OF YOU/THEN AZIKHWE
[last part is fragmentary]

PLEASE RELEASE/ZWELI SIZANE
[chalk on chalkboard]

KRUGER/RELEASE/ALL STUDENTS

IF POLICE GO TO SCHOOL/WHERE WILL STUDENTS GO?
[on Ace baking bag flour bag]

"JAIL IS NO/SCHOOL!!"
[on Ace baking flour/cones bag; open along 3 sides to provide surface]

RELEASE/OUR/COMRADES
[cardboard on piece of string to wear around the neck]

BANTU/EDUCATION/RETARDS/OUR PROGRESS

RELEASE/OUR/COMRADES

RELEASE/SETH/MAZIBUKO

RELEASE! ALL/STUDENTS/UNCONDITIONALY/AMANDLA!
[large piece of pressboard attached to wood across the top to be held on either side]

K345/292: Foto-album: SAP Soweto

Black and white photographs depicting posters, banners and flyers:

— AWAY WITH YOUR PROPERGANDER

— CONGRADULATION TO YOU SYSTEM FOR UNNECESSARY OVERTIME

— KISSINGER YOU ARE A DOG AND VOSTER PLEASE GO BACK HOME BY AMANDLA

— KISSINGER IS A MURDER

— KISSINGER AND VOSTER WERE MADE BY A BITCH AND A ...

— DR. K. FOR WHITES TSIETSI FOR BLACKS

— KISSINGER WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT IN SOUTH AFRICA

— KISSINGER IS A BITCH
[UNREADABLE] VORSTER

— KISSINGER PLEASE GO BACK HOME

— KRUGER GO BACK TO YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB PLEASE !!!

— KISSINGER GO HOME

— KISSINGER THE INTRUDER

— KISSINGER A CYNICAL MURDERER

— WE WILL SOON KILL YOU

— KISSINGER IS A SELL-OUT

— KISSINGER IS A HYPOCRIT WE DON'T WANT TO TALK WITH HIM

— VOSTER, SEND KISS-
[MISSING] AWAY

— CIA THIEF GO HOME

— KISSINGER IS A TOOTHLESS BITCH WHO HAS COME TO SUCKLE HER PYPPY, VOSTER WITH APERTHEID

— WE DON'T WANT DR KISS MY ASSINGERE HERE

— KISIZINJA HAMBA KHAYA

— KISSINGER IS AMERICAN SPY

— PLEASE DR. KISSINGER LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA ALONE MIND YOUR COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS YOU ARE AZANIA'S GREATEST ENEMY

— KISSINGER YOU NOTHING ABAUT AZANIA

— KISSINGER AND KRUGER ARE SELOUT SELOUT

— GO AWAY WE DON'T NEED TENANTS KEEP OUT OF SOWETO DR. K. TO HELL WITH J.B.V.

— KISSINGER IS SUPRESSING THE RISING. VORSTER IS OPPRESSING THE PEOPLE

— KISSINGER O MOLOTSANA

— WE DONT WANT YOU HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA

— KISSINGER GET OUT YOU ARE OUR ENEMY TO HELL WITH YOU

— KISSINGER THE FLATTERER

— KISSINGER WE DO NOT WANT YOU HERE IN S.A. YOUR ARE A MURDERER DR. H. KISSINGER

— KISSINGER IS A DOG

— KISSINGER GET OUT OF S.A.

— KISSINGER IS AN INFLUENCER OF SEPERATE DEVELOPMENT

— WE DONT WANT TALKS WE WANT JUSTICE

— KISSINGER OUT OF AZANIA

— KRUGER AND HIS POLICE ARE OUR ENEMIES

— KRUGER SHALL NEVER GO TO HEAVEN. BLACK IS POWER

— KISSINGER IS KILLER AND POISONER

— KISSINGER MINISTER OF DISORDER RETURN PLEASE

— KISSINGER PLEASE GO BACK AND RELAX YOU'RE A MURDERER

— THE SUFFERANCE OF OUR SOULS, THE TIMES ABUSED, WE ARE RHODODENDRON

— DR KISSINGER GO AND TALK WITH OUR LEADERS IN ROBBEN ISLAND

— KRUGER TELL YOUR GANGSTER TO STOP KILLING OUR BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS OR ELSE ... SENZENI NA?

— ARREST US ALL OR YOU WILL DIGEST THE VENOM OF YOUR SPLEEN

— DR. K IS IN GREAT DEFENCE OF NONSENSE

— AZANIA DOES NOT NEED YOU DR. KISSINGER

— KISSINGER YOU ARE OUR ENEMY GO HOME

— KISSINGER GO HOME

— EVERYONE WHO WANT TO SUFFER LISTEN TO MR KISSINGER GO BACK MR KEY

— WE ARE NOT FIGHTING/PLEASE! RELEASE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHO WERE ARRESTED AND DETAINED DURING "THE RIOTS"/GILBERT MAZIBUKO

— KISSINGER TELL KRUGER TO RELEASE ALL THE DETAINEES

— KISSINGER TO HELL WITH YOUR ADVICE IN SOUTH AFRICA

— EVEN IF YOU TAKE THE/HYPOCRITS, WE ARE GOING TO WRITE

— VOETSEK KISSINGER
[UNCLEAR:LET?] US SRUGGLE ALONE!

— KISSINGER, MAY YOU PLEASE LEAVE US ALONE FOR GOODNESS SAKE

— POLICE STOP SHOOTING STUDENTS

— MAYIBUYE I AFRICA !! POWER !!!

— BLACK POLICE ARE SELL OUT!

— TO HELL WITH KISSINGER

— CONGRESS!! MR VISSER FOR GIVING YOURSELF UNNECCESSARY OVERTIME OVER STUDENTS AT ORLANDO NORTH !!

— STOP TERRORSING S.A. DR. KISSINGER GO BACK TO U.S.A

— KISSINGER OUT IN SOUTH AFRICA

— DR. KISSINGER YOU ARE A DEVIL

— FORGET ABOUT S.AFRICA MR. K. GO AWAY

— KISSINGER MAY GO BACK HOME

— KISSINGER GO AWAY/ YOU'RE DOG/ WAY BACK HOME DR. K

— KISSINGER ACTUALLY WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

— AWAY KISSINGER

— KISSINGER, WE ARE TIRED OF YOUR VISITS

— KISSINGER GO AND SLEEP. VORSTER TO TOILET.

— YOU ARE A SELLOUT KISSINGER GO HOME YOU SON OF A BITCH

— KISSINGER CYNICAL MURDERER

— CIAL THIEF GO HOME

— VORSTER THE MINISTER OF OPPRESSION/KISSINGER =/ OUR COUNTRY

— KISSINGER TELL KRUGER TO RELEASE ALL THE DETAINEES.

— POLICE NOT ALLOWED !!! TROUBLE

— KISSINGER GO HOME BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MURDERER OF THE BLACKS AND YOU KNOW KILLING IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE SO DON'T KILL US JUST GO AWAY FROM OUR CONFUSED COUNTRY

— KISSINGER LEAVE US ALONE YOU ARE AN EMPTY VESSEL GO BACK TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY!

— WHY TALK TO KISSINGER WHEN LIVING WITH VORSTER

1 LET BLACKS TALK TO YOU NOT KISSINGER

2 WHO IS TALKING TO KISSINGER?

3 KISSINGER STOP DOUBLE DEALING

4 CONSULT THOSE IN JAIL ESPECIALLY THOSE AT ROBBEN ISLAND NOT VOSTERS CHOSEN FEW

— KISSINGER AND VORSTER ARE PROSTITUTES

—"AMANDLA" KRAG
[CROSSED OUT] VORSTER, J. KRUGER THIS IS MY LAST WARNING I ISSUE TO YOU AND YOUR "STUPIT" BUNCH OF "BOYS" THE TREE OF (LIBERTY") WILL BE WATERED BY
[UNCLEAR] OF S.A. WHITES ... BLACK POWER AS ... INSTANT TAKE AWAY PAINT
[?] MIXED IT WITH BLACK AND
[UNCLEAR] RESULT WILL TELL THAT BLACK WILL ALWAYS "SURVIVE' SO WHAT ABOUT THE WIND OF CHANGES ARE BLOWING FROM NORTH,
[ON A TORN SHEET]

— LEAVE US TO FIGHT IT "HE WHO FEELS IT, KNOWS IT"

— KISSINGER IS A SELLOUT

— WAY BACK HOME HYPOCRITE

— KISSINGER A CYNICAL MURDERER

— KISSINGER IS A DIVISOR OF S.A. AND SECRETARY OF OPRESSION

— WE HOPE FOR PEACE NOT WAR

— KISSINGER IS A DOG

— KISSINGER TELL YOUR PET TO RELEASE OUR BLACK BROTHERS

— KISSINGER MEET VOSTER & KRUGER IN ZURICH NOT HERE!

— KISSINGER, TELL VOSTER TO REALESE THEM ALL

— KISSINGER YOURS IS JUST TO GO BACK WE NEED NO HELP FROM YOU

— KISSINGER, SOUTH AFRICA'S GREAT ENEMY

— MAYIBUYE I AFRICA !! POWER !!

— VORSTER, WHAT BULL SHEET ARE YOU GOING TO LISTEN FROM KISSINGER

— VORSTER MUST NEGOTIATE WITH OUR DETAINED BLACK LEADERS BUT NOT WITH THE SO CALLED U.S.A SECRETARY OF STATE KISSINGER

— WIT KRAG
[SCRATCHED OUT] BLACK POWER

— NO TALKS WITH KISSINGER

— AZANIA IS OUR COUNTRY

— POLICE PLEASE LIVE US ALONE! LET US DO OUR THING! MAN!


[ON A WHITE (LAB)JACKET] I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU HERE KISSINGER JUST GO BACK

— VORSTER YOUR DEATH IS AROUND THE CORNER

— POLICE DON'T PROVOKE US WE ARE NOT FIGHTING. IS JUST A MINI DEMO

— KISSINGER STOP FOOLING IN S.A. KRUGER STOP TERRORISING US

— VORSTER AND KISSINGER ARE MURDERERS

— WAY BACK HOME DR. K.

— DR. KISSINGER YOU ARE THE "1" STINGKING "2" ROTTEN MAN IN S.A.

— KISSINGER STOP USING VORSTER TO OPPRESS US. HOW LONG COULD WE BE SLAVES OF YOU AND VORSTER?

— KISSINGER GO BACK TO YOUR FAMALY

— KISSINGER WE DONT NEED YOU

— WHITE MAN (HYPOCRITE) ENTER AT YOU OWN RISK STINKING PIGS

— VORSTER WHY CAN'T YOU SOLVE YOU PROBLEMS ALONE!! SELLOUT!

— KRUGER KEEP YOUR PIGS OUT OF OUR SCHOOL!! THEY ARE DIRTIFYING OUR BLACKNESS!! HYPOCRITS!!! HYPOCRITS!

— HEY YOU! DR. KISSINGER. YOU ARE SELLING US OUT. GO BACK IN PEACE AND NOT IN PIECES.

— DR. KISSINGER IS AN INFLUENCER OF SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT/ WE ABHOR HIM.

— KISSINGER WILL NEVER BREAK THE CHAINS OF THE OPPRESSED AND GIVE LIBERTY TO "AZANIANA"/ AWAY WITH YOU

— WE HOPE FOR PEACE NOT FIGHT