Sharpeville Heritage Precinct

About Sharpeville Heritage Precinct

Sharpeville is an informal settlement (or township) in Gauteng that has a massive relevance in the history and heritage of South Africa. This was the site of a tragic massacre on 21 March 1960, when 69 peaceful protestors were killed and 180 others were injured at the hands of policemen that opened fire unnecessarily. This put Sharpeville on the map, as the whole of South Africa, and eventually the world, cried out in revolt.

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Today, the Sharpeville Heritage Precinct is dedicated to those men and women that suffered so much at this terrible time, as well as to the families that survived them, and the community at large. In fact, it is a monument to human rights in South Africa, and invites locals and visitors to experience the deep sense of respect and poignancy of this monument.

The Sharpeville Heritage Precinct includes the Phelindaba Cemetery (the burial site of those who were killed in the massacre, as well as of many more from the local community), and a Constitution Walk.

Sharpeville is only three kilometres from Vanderbijlpark on the one side, and Vereeniging on the other. In addition, it is conveniently situated only 50 kilometres from Johannesburg in the Gauteng Province.