A series of confrontations between the police and the crowd followed. Two shops and a school associated with the Labour Party were attacked. A running battle between the people and police ensued.
The situation soon spread across Bloemendal, Arcadia, and Chatty. Fires raged till late in the night. Cars were stoned and several roads were made impassable by barricades of burning tyres, car wrecks and stones. Police used stun guns, grenades, teargas, rubber bullets, and birdshot to disperse the crowds, and doctors at Livingstone Hospital reported treating patients with gunshot wounds.
Tuesday, August 7 1990
Bus services were suspended and schools were empty as parents kept their children home. . At 2pm police met community leaders and riot police agreed to keep a low profile.
Despite this agreement police opened fire in Arcadia and a child was wounded. They claimed policemen guarding the shopping centre had been attacked by a mob throwing stones.
Wednesday, August 8 1990
Six people we reported dead, five at the hands of police. Among them was a year-old baby. year who died in Helenvale. Schools were empty, people did not report to work and mobs attacked police with petrol bombs and burnt and looted shops.
The riots spread throughout the northern areas. At least 50 people were admitted to the Livingstone with gunshot wounds. Doctors set up emergency medical stations in several areas. Police attacked a prayer group Schauderville, and people attacked the butchery and started looting.
Tyres were placed in Highfield Road, Durban Road and adjoining streets. Shopkeepers were escorted off their premises by police. Police met an NACC delegation and a clean-up of barricades in Standford Road and Helenvale began. Police threatened to call in the army.
Thursday, August 9 1990
At 11.30am police reported that 23 people had died. Six houses, 32 shops, two factories, a church, and three schools had been burnt, and 41 police and seven other vehicles had been damaged.. Twelve policemen had been injured and 90 people arrested.
A mass meeting was held at the Gelvandale Stadium, with a call for one city council, the formation of street committees to protect residents and the resignation of the NAMC.
Friday, August 10 1990
By Friday morning 42 people, including two in Uitenhage, had died. That night leader of the Labour Party Allan Hendrickse’s church, a funeral parlour, butchery, and general dealer store were set on fire.
While Uitenhage burnt, PE residents removed barricades and there was only sporadic looting.
Saturday, August 11 1990
By Saturday morning a sense of normality had returned to the northern areas and Uitenhage. The final death toll was 49, but this was later contested..
Source: Northern Areas History and Heritage Project.
- HeraldLIVE
Up in smoke: How the riots unfolded
Image: GERT COETZEE
Timeline:
Monday, August 6 1990
About 6,300 people joined in the Northern Areas Co-ordinating Committee (NACC) march against rent increases, housing shortages and to demand the resignation of the Labour Party-dominated Northern Areas Management Committee (NAMC).
They handed over a petition to local government officials.
Marchers then moved to Chatty Senior Secondary School and Greenville Primary where they were addressed. Police closed off two of the three exits and gave the crowd five minutes to disperse. They fired teargas and the crowd fled in panic.
Image: Google Maps
A series of confrontations between the police and the crowd followed. Two shops and a school associated with the Labour Party were attacked. A running battle between the people and police ensued.
The situation soon spread across Bloemendal, Arcadia, and Chatty. Fires raged till late in the night. Cars were stoned and several roads were made impassable by barricades of burning tyres, car wrecks and stones. Police used stun guns, grenades, teargas, rubber bullets, and birdshot to disperse the crowds, and doctors at Livingstone Hospital reported treating patients with gunshot wounds.
Tuesday, August 7 1990
Bus services were suspended and schools were empty as parents kept their children home. . At 2pm police met community leaders and riot police agreed to keep a low profile.
Despite this agreement police opened fire in Arcadia and a child was wounded. They claimed policemen guarding the shopping centre had been attacked by a mob throwing stones.
Wednesday, August 8 1990
Six people we reported dead, five at the hands of police. Among them was a year-old baby. year who died in Helenvale. Schools were empty, people did not report to work and mobs attacked police with petrol bombs and burnt and looted shops.
The riots spread throughout the northern areas. At least 50 people were admitted to the Livingstone with gunshot wounds. Doctors set up emergency medical stations in several areas. Police attacked a prayer group Schauderville, and people attacked the butchery and started looting.
Tyres were placed in Highfield Road, Durban Road and adjoining streets. Shopkeepers were escorted off their premises by police. Police met an NACC delegation and a clean-up of barricades in Standford Road and Helenvale began. Police threatened to call in the army.
Thursday, August 9 1990
At 11.30am police reported that 23 people had died. Six houses, 32 shops, two factories, a church, and three schools had been burnt, and 41 police and seven other vehicles had been damaged.. Twelve policemen had been injured and 90 people arrested.
A mass meeting was held at the Gelvandale Stadium, with a call for one city council, the formation of street committees to protect residents and the resignation of the NAMC.
Friday, August 10 1990
By Friday morning 42 people, including two in Uitenhage, had died. That night leader of the Labour Party Allan Hendrickse’s church, a funeral parlour, butchery, and general dealer store were set on fire.
While Uitenhage burnt, PE residents removed barricades and there was only sporadic looting.
Saturday, August 11 1990
By Saturday morning a sense of normality had returned to the northern areas and Uitenhage. The final death toll was 49, but this was later contested..
Source: Northern Areas History and Heritage Project.
- HeraldLIVE
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