Nyakane Tsolo

Michael Nyakane Ramabele Tsolo (24 July 1939, Kroonstad – November 2002) was an anti-apartheid activist, and leader of the Sharpeville branch of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. He and his brother Job Tsolo, led the anti-pass protest to the Sharpeville police station in 21 March 1960, which culminated in the Sharpeville massacre when police opened fire on the crowd.

Tsolo died of stroke in 2002. His political legacy is less known than that of his contemporary PAC leaders, Robert Sobukwe and Philip Kgosana. He was born in Kroonstad where he grew up until he moved to Sharpeville when he was seven years old. He attended the Sedibe Primary School and obtained his Junior Certificate at Legoshang Secondary School in 1958. He worked as a laborer at African Cables, where he became a trade unionist at the age of 20.

Around 1:00 PM, Nyakane made another attempt to speak with the police. By then, Colonel "Att" Spengler, a notorious police officer, had arrived. Spengler demanded that the PAC leaders call off the protest, warning that if they failed to do so, the police should fire warning shots over the crowd. He instructed Nyakane and his colleagues to tell the people to disperse, but Nyakane responded that only Robert Sobukwe had the authority to issue such an order. Spengler immediately arrested Tsolo. As news of his arrest spread, the crowd demanded to be arrested as well. Tensions escalated, stones were thrown at the police. According to Lieutenant Colonel Pienaar, he had ordered the police to load their rifles and await his command, however, a policeman panicked and without warning began shooting, after which other policeman also shot into the crowd. A total of 168 police officers fired 1,344 rounds into the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring 180 others.