17 June 1992

Boipatong Massacre

As part of the third force violence, sponsored by the regime at the time, approximately 300 armed residents of the Inkatha-aligned Kwamadala hostel shot and hacked their way through the Black township of Boipatong (Johannesburg), leaving forty-six people dead and scores injured, including women and children.

At the time, it was said that the attack was organised by the Third Force, a conservative element of the police force and government colluding with members of the  Inkatha  Freedom  Party (IFP) to destabilize the country and disrupt the Convention for Democratic South Africa (Codesa).

The ANC suspended its participation in the negotiations indefinitely and withdrew from CODESA, blaming FW. De Klerk, for not doing enough to stop the violence.