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Summary Apartheid: Civil Society Protests
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Civil Resistance: South Africa (1970s — 1980s)Background
What it is:
- Apartheid: a legal and institutionalised regime which ensured that white South Africans held all
power in South Africa
• Was introduced by the National Party (NP) in 1948
• Oppressed black South Africans and they were denied most rights and suffered due to the
enforcement of racist laws
- African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan African Congress (PAC) were active in
combatting the apartheid regime and they were met with harsh reactions
• Both had military wings:
- ANC: Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)
- PAC: Poqo
- Why resistance was challenging:
• Underground structures were compromised
• Security police held a lot of power
• Bureau of State Security (BOSS) would abuse and torture members of the resistance
- 1970s: Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) revived the resistance movement
- 1980s: Apartheid was in a crisis
• Unrest in townships were impossible to control
• Protests were well organised
• Growing international resistance to Apartheid
Apartheid State
Nature of Apartheid State:
- Became increasingly oppressive in the 1970s and 1980s
• State employed forces to silence any protest
- African, Indian and Coloured South Africans faced discrimination, deprivation and humiliation
- Oppressive measures which were implemented:
• Pass system
• Political segregation
• Human rights violations
Why the Pressure Increased:
- South African economy faced issues:
• Sharp rise in oil prices negatively effected the economy
• Growth in trade unionism and strikes
- Failing Pass Laws:
• Workers moved to the cities in an attempt to boost their lifestyle and to find jobs
- Opposing forces:
• Rise in guerrilla groups fighting throughout Africa (Mozambique and Angola)
• Emergence of the BCM which empowered many of those who were oppressed
• 1967: Soweto Uprising was an indicator of this
• UNO and Commonwealth advocated trade sanctions
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, Total Strategy:
- Was a strategy which aimed to secure white rule
- Put across a message that South Africa faced the threat of communism due to the Soviet Union
attempting to establish itself in Southern Africa
• Reagan and Thatcher opposed communism and thus resisted the pressure from UNO and
the Commonwealth to implement sanctions
- Increased the military conscription time period
- Destabilised the neighbouring countries by involving themselves in those wars
- Introducing reforms in an attempt to gain the support of middle class black South Africans
• This included the tricameral parliament which provided limited power
Popular Resistance:
- Apartheid government failed to deal with it effectively
- 1979 Labour Relations Act allowed the establishment of black trade unions which caused a rise
in trade unionism
• Led to the establishment of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
• Frequent strikes had a dramatic effect on the economy
- Anti-apartheid structures were better organised
- 1984: unrest began in the townships which led to a declaration of a State of Emergency
Sanctions and Disinvestment:
International community displayed their support by withdrawing their investments and
implementing economic sanctions on the country
- Chase Manhattan Bank of New York cancelled its relations with SA and the value of the rand
dropped by 35%
- Barclays Bank sold its South African bank network
- Import bans were implemented
- Many large corporations withdrew their investments
Divisions Within the NP:
NP lost the support of white voters due to the worsening situation
- Two fractions within the party:
• Verligtes: liberal and supported the changes
• Verkramptes: conservative and opposed the changes
- Voėlvry movements:
• Influenced thousands of white South Africans to opposed the Apartheid regime
• Included musicians such as Johannes Kerkorrel and Koos Kombuis
- End Conscription Campaigns (ECC):
• Fought against the SADF conscription process
• Those who refused to do military service faced 6 years in prison
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