Wierzycka tweeted the iconic photograph of Pieterson’s body being carried away after he was shot during the Soweto uprisings on June 16‚ 1976.

Pieterson was one of the first people to be killed in the protests against the sole use of Afrikaans in schools.

“Let’s never forget March 21 1960‚” Wierzycka tweeted.

Human Rights Day commemorates the anti-pass demonstration outside the Sharpeville police station near Vereeniging on March 21‚ 1960 where 69 people were killed and close to 200 people were injured.

Protesters marched to the police station to hand over their passes and demanded an end to the pass laws before the police opened fire on the crowd.

Commentators were quick to rebuke Wierzycka‚ suggesting she needed to brush up on her history.