Summary History Theme 4: Civil Resistance in South Africa
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Course
History
Institution
12th Grade
These notes come from myself, who passed matric of 2023 with an overall average of 87% in each subject i took.
Notes about the civil resistance in South Africa involving Steve Biko, ANC, UDF, Trade Unions, Apartheid, NP, SASO, Black consciousness and Black Sash. The main theme is Black Consciousne...
The challenge of Black Consciousness to the Apartheid State
1. The nature and aims of Black Consciousness:
- In the 1970s black South Africans who attended universities had to go to
separate “bush colleges” such as the University of Zululand and the University
of the North.
- These universities were in rural areas, their curricula were closely monitored
and controlled and black lecturers were closely watched by the government.
- Black pupils lost their scholarships if they became involved in political affairs.
- It was in these separate universities that the ideas of Black Consciousness
began to arise (see it as a set of ideas rather than a movement.)
- These students called themselves “black” as opposed to “non-white” and a
new, unified identity developed.
- These students were also influenced by the newly-independent African state
leaders such as Nyere (Tanzania), Nkrumah (Ghana) and Kuanda (Zambia).
2. 4 aims of Black Consciousness
To raise the respect and confidence of Black people
- To promote pride in the black identity, culture and history
- To Stop working with white liberals in multi racial organisations (did not want
blacks to become reliant on white liberals in student unions etc)
- To promote unity amongst black people (remember the Apartheid Government
had emphasised divisions of ethnic groups)
3. Why did Black Consciousness develop in SA in the 1970s?
- Black Power was taking root in the USA at the same time, which stressed the idea
of black assertiveness.
- The Black youth of South Africa were impressed and influenced by the African
leaders which had taken over newly independent African countries.
- Steve Biko is seen as being the DRIVING FORCE of the Black Consciousness
Movement. He established SASO (the South African Students Organisation) in
1968 at his university.
,The role of Steve Biko
- In 1968 Steve Biko established a new students’ organisation for black students called SASO,
the South African Students Organisation.
- He was studying medicine at the University of Natal and had been active in
NUSAS, (National Union of South African Students), which was open to students
of all races.
- By leaving NUSAS and forming SASO he was rejecting the ANC policy of non-
racialism and rejecting a willingness to work together with whites.
- He felt that NUSAS was dominated by whites, and he believed that blacks needed
to free themselves psychologically from the effects of being treated as inferiors
of the whites.
- He felt that blacks had developed an inferiority complex and Black Consciousness
therefore preached self-determination and used the slogan “black man you are
on your own” coined by Barney Pityana.
- The movement had four main aims:
- Raise the self-respect and confidence of blacks to liberate
themselves.
- Promote pride in black identity, culture and history.
- Stop working with white liberals e.g NUSAS but continue to educate
whites on the evils of the system.
- Promote unity amongst blacks by mobilising against apartheid.
- Biko believed that only when blacks had attained psychological, physical and
political power could non-racial organisations work properly.
- Black Consciousness was not black racism as Biko did not call for revenge on
white society.
- He was a gifted orator who encouraged democratic participation in decision
making, and SASO grew rapidly.
Activities of SASO (South African Students Organisation)
- In 1972 SASO established the Black Peoples’ Convention (BPC) which was an
umbrella body for a variety of organisations.
- Examples of organisations under SASO were:
- South African Students Movement (SASM):
Formed in Soweto in 1971
Called on all Student Representatives Councils in universities
to express their grievances and further their activities.
- The Black Allied Workers’ Union (BAWU):
Formed in 1973.
, - The Black Communities Project:
Directed black self-help schemes such as cooperatives,
literacy and health projects and cultural forums.
- Although the NP government initially approved of the separateness of the Black
Consciousness Movement’s policy, as soon as they realised its political impact they
expelled SASO leaders from the universities.
- The Black Consciousness Movement had little contact with the ANC and PAC when it
began, but had established links with the ANC by the 1970s.
The 1976 Soweto Uprising
Background:
- Under Apartheid the education of black children was under the Department
of Bantu Affairs (since 1953), and the government spent vastly less on the
classrooms, resources and teachers in the black schools.
- The curricula were limited, pupils sat in classes of 60-100 children and black
parents had to buy their own textbooks.
- After 1973 many black students who had been educated under Bantu
Education joined the SASM and Black Consciousness Movements. SASM
produced a militant newspaper called “Thrust” which was banned in 1976,
but they had by then adopted a more radical approach and had established
links with the banned ANC.
Early 1976:
-
The Department of Education announced that half of the subjects in black
schools would be taught in English while the other half in Afrikaans.
- This meant that Maths, History and Geography would now be taught in
Afrikaans.
- The objections of pupils and teachers were ignored, and black teachers –
many of whom has been SASO members at university – refused to teach in
Afrikaans.
- Dismissals and resignations of teachers followed leading to a boycott of
lessons.
- In May 1976 there were severe disruptions to black education and the SASM
called for a boycott of June exams.
- On 13 June 1976 the SASM formed an action committee (called the Soweto
ANC) which planned a march for the 16th of June.
- About 15 000 black students marched on Orlando Stadium, they were disciplined
and carried placards.
- The atmosphere was one of excitement and optimism.
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