1.
GV. Crowd outside hostel.
0.03

2.
SV. Troops move in.
0.07

3.
GV Natives look on.
0.09

4.
SV. Military move along with seized weapons.
0.15

5.
SV Cart-load of spikes.
0.19

6.
SV. Armoured car.
0.21

7.
SV. Native police move in.
0.25

8.
GV. Police stand by.
0.27

9.
CU. Weapons in cart.
0.29

10.
CU. Weapons.
0.35

11.
CU. Weapons (3 shots)
0.41

12.
CV. Man handles axe.
0.48

13.
CU. Policeman holds weapon.
0.47

14.
SEQUENCE OF SHOTS showing administration offices partly destroyed by fire.
1.03

15.
GV. Natives mill, around (2 shots)
1.07



Initials KJ/S/JF/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In a dawn swoop, Apr 6, South African police and troops, with armoured cars standing by, raided a huge hostel at Lamontville, Durban, where 5,000 Africans had been living for three days in a state of siege.

S.J. Smith Native Hostel, housing a large African labour force, has been the scene of wild disorders, with clashes between demonstrators and police, and among opposing factions of Africans.

After gaining control of the hostel, police arrested about 300 Africans alleged to have been leaders of unrest and intimidation. Thousands of weapons were seized, including shields and assegais, sticks, knives, knobkerries, and home-made battleaxes.

The action followed encounters between security forces and crowds of Africans in the neighbouring location, when mobs molested fellow Africans returning from work. In these clashes, one African was killed and four wounded by rifle fire; many were injured in baton charges.

Another search for weapons was carried out at Nyanga, Cape Town, Apr 7, and more than 100 Europeans, Africans and Asians were arrested during night raids in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth. In Johannesburg, Apr 8, scores of Africans were detained for not carrying pass books. They were then released and given a week to produce the documents.