Due to the Apartheid discriminatory policies acts against blacks, a mass protests and demonstrations erupted over the Apartheid government's policy to enforce education in Afrikaans rather than English. Police opened fire in Orlando West on 10,000 students marching from Naledi High School to Orlando Stadium, and in the events that unfolded, 566 people died on the 16 of Juin 1976. This bloody intervention drew the attention of the world and spread through the whole country and across the world which led to economic and cultural sanctions from many countries, organisations and companies.
Many black activists left the country after Soweto events to join or train guerilla to fight with armed struggle against Apartheid. Soweto became since then a stage of Apartheid violent repression.
The Saharawi people and despite their situation of exile and war, they spared no efforts to support their brothers in South Africa. Many tanks offered by Apartheid to Morocco were captured by the Polisario Army and handed over to the ANC freedom fighters after a visit to the Saharawi Republic by Oliver Tambo, former ANC Secretary General.
A school in the camp of Auserd took the name of Soweto.