Thirteen residents were gunned down in Mamelodi by South African police during a peaceful protest. This followed the declaration of a State of Emergency on 25 July 1985 by President PW Botha in 36 of South Afri- ca’s 260 magisterial districts.

Within the first six months of the Emergency, 575 people were killed in political violence. Under the provisions of the Emergency, organisations could be banned and meetings prohibited; the Commissioner of Police could impose restrictions on media coverage of the Emergency, and the names of detained people could not be disclosed.