Key points and extra infomation on Black Consciousness with a focus on the work of Steve Biko and SASO.
contains all the criteria for matric NSC finals
The black consciousness movement, a philosophical movement campaign for black mental liberation, greatly
challenged the government. Driven by the South African Students Association (SASO) , revitalised the struggle for
resistance as seen through Onkgopotse Tiro’s speech at Turfloop University.
Through organisation, the black allied workers union(BAWU); Black People’s convention (BPC); Black
communities projects (BCP’s) and the south african students movement (SASM)
Stimulated confidence, self-reliance, assertiveness among black people.
The government reacted with repression; killings, banning, house arrests - showing that BCM was a threat to the
regime.
Background/ Reason for emergence of Black Consciousness in the 1970s -
The struggle for liberation in South africa was the dominion of liberation movements like the African National
Congress and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azanian but this was to change in the 60s and 70s
Political inactivity came about as a result of the government’s harsh reaction to the events of Sharpeville in 1960.
The resulting lull in political activity and opposition to the Apartheid government allowed the government to
further entrench repression due making opposition to its policies difficult. Arrests and harassment of leaders
were to be intensified leading to a state of political apathy in South Africa. Experiences of Steve Biko and others
within white led organisations like NUSAS and the University Christian Movement. Among many issues that
fueled discontent among black members of NUSAS was its apparent condonation of the status quo: Separate
accommodation was arranged for students from different racial groups during the NUSAS conference of 1967 in
Grahamstown and that of UCM at Stutterheim in 1968.
THE AIMS OF BCM AND THE ROLE OF STEVE BIKO
Steve Biko was a member of NUSAS, who resented the domination of the organisation by white liberals.
Biko and others who followed him believed that the struggle of black students was their responsibility and that
they should not depend on other races who were sympathetic to their course, described when Biko said ‘ the
Blacks are tired of waiting at the touchline to witness a game they should be playing. They want to be doing
things for themselves.’
He therefore broke away forming a new organisation called the South African Students Association SASO, a
black only organisation. Biko as well as SASO valued the voice of black opposition over white opposition and
rejected the non-racialism of the ANC and the Freedom Charter.
SASO members travelled around the country to universities and produced newsletters to spread their ideas of
black consciousness.
The black consciousness movement aimed to infuse the black community with a newfound pride in themselves,
their efforts, their value system, their culture and their outlook to life.
The BCM aims, among others, were to achieve mental liberation and emancipation from feelings of inferiority.
Through achieving this aim it was hoped that with the mental liberation, black south africans were encouraged to
overcome the feeling of self-pity, self-alienation and domination by external forces; instil a feeling of pride
amongst black south africans for their cultural heritage and instil feelings of self-reliances and to fight for own
rights. The movement also aimed to unite black people through a common struggle and recombine through
government race groups, used to weaken them, to mobilise active members of the struggle against apartheid.
Biko drew inspiration from the Black power movement in the USA and the liberation of other African countries as
well as the writings of French psychologist Franz Fanon.
Initially had support of the government as they saw the movement as a call for separatism which benefited the
NP, however when the ideas became more clear the government became more repressive, showing the threat the
BCM posed towards their control. The government condemned every person or organisation associated with the
BCM and when Steve biko was rearrested in 1977, he later died in police custody. The ideas he stood for survived
his death and this was true to his statement ‘it is better to die for an idea that will live than to live for an idea that
will die’
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