South Africa's AMRITSAR? Responsibility for and the significance of the Port Elizabeth shootings of 23 October 1920.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Baie voorvalle van protes deur swart Suid-Afrikaners is onderdruk deur die toepassing van onnodige geweld. Die skiet van betogers te Port Elizabeth op 23 Oktober 1923 is maar een voorbeeld hiervan. Die literatuur oor die voorval spreek merendeels die kwessie van die oorsake aan. Minder is geskryf oor wie verantwoordelik gehou moet word vir die hantering van die voorval en die gevolge daarvan. Die vraag t.o.v. individuele verantwoordelikheid word bemoeilik deur die newelagtige staatsbestel en die probleem van die staat se verantwoordelikheid vir die optredes van sy amptenare. Hierdie gevallestudie dui aan dat ons begrip van die verhouding tussen plaaslike en sentrale owerhede en die regering van die dag verhelder kan word deur die ondersoek van insidente van spanning tussen die owerhede en opposisie-groepe.• Summary: Many protests by black South Africans have been suppressed with an unnecessary degree of force. The shooting of demonstrators at Port Elizabeth on 23 October 1920 was no exception. The literature on this incident has been more concerned with the causes of the discontent than apportioning responsibility for the way in which the situation was handled and the consequences thereof. The amorphous nature of the polity clouds the question of individual culpability, as well accountability of the state for the actions of its functionaries. This case study shows that an examination of moments of confrontation between the authorities and opposition groups can further our understanding of the relationship between the local and central states, and the government of the day.