On the 21st of March 1960, 5 000 to 7 000 people gathered at a local police station in the small township of Sharpeville. They gathered to protest against the new Pass Laws in South Africa. The Pass Law meant that if a black person were to leave their home or township they had to carry a book showing them where they were allowed to go or not go. This law was a major factor in moving apartheid forward. As more and more men, women, and children gathered around this police station, even though in peaceful protest, the police grew more and more anxious. The police had decided to open fire on this group of civilians killing 69 and injuring over 180 people. Most people were shoot in the back as they were running away from the police station. This ruthless massacre would not go unnoticed by the people or by the world.
At this time Nelson Mandela is now at the head of the ANC. In retaliation to the Sharpeville Massacre Mandela had created the military division of the ANC called the Spear Of the Nation. As much as it was a military division, it was considered a terrorist group by the South African government. This was because of the many car bombings and the burning down of different government buildings and factories to get the governments attention. Because of these actions the ANC was outlawed and Nelson Mandela arrested. It was during this time period where the violence had escalated. Mandela’s wife, Winnie Mandela, had embodied Mandela’s vision when he was at prison, but did it at a much higher level. She believed that all who stood against the idea of becoming equal should be killed, “With our boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country.” When Mandela was released from prison he had taken the battle to a different stage knowing that the violence had to stop.
To prevent the continuous killings by both sides of people, Mandela had to turn to politics to regain control of the situation. After uniting the nation once more under one goal he was able to achieve Presidency and end apartheid. Although the violence in this time period is a dark spot on the nation, it is what needed to be done to catalyze the end of apartheid.