Civil Resistance South Africa Flashcards
Repressive laws
Public Safety Act - State could declare state of emergency
Internal Security Act - People could be detained without trial
Effect of repressive laws
80,000+ were detained without trial, for up to two years. Over 70 people died in detention.
3000+ were banned. Could not move out of certain areas, talk to more than one person, quoted or write nor speak publicly.
Hundreds of thousands of people were arrested for political offences with some being imprisoned with up to life sentences or executions.
Organisations and newspapers were banned
All political parties were banned during a state of emergency.
Covert operation (PW Botha 1979)
State Security Council: Consisted of high ranking men in the military and security services who had power to make political decisions without approval of government.
Vigilantes: Recruits from conservative elements of black society or desperately unemployed. Carried out attacks on anti-Apartheid groups in the townships.
Hit squads & death squads: Carried numerous political assassinations and
Nature of Black Consciousness
Transformative
Movement of ideas
Began on university campuses
Aims of BC
Challenge psychological oppression
Challenge the state
Challenge Black identity
Challenge white people
Grassroot organisations in East London
Zanempilo - Health centre run by Dr Ramphele
Zimele Trust fund - Helped support former political prisoners and families
Njawaxa Leather works project - Small indsutry in which unemployed black people produced leather goods
Ginsberg education fund
Achievements of BCM
Spread ideas of racial assertiveness
Many Black people felt a new sense of pride and ownership in being black
Self help programmes sprung many communities into action.
How did BC fail
Unwilling to move past ideological beliefs
Failed to address material conditions in SA
Remained a small elitist organisation of intellectuals.
Internal pressures
Pressure from within his party as many conservative members split off and formed the Conservative party in 1982
New methods of mobilisation
Change from political leaders to street committees in ordering boycotts such as the rent boycott
Rolling mass action from trade unions with members going on strike. May 1st 1986 - 500,000 didn’t go to work; 1987 economy was on the brink of collapse by protests organised by COSATU.
Mass civic action: Government bans UDF in 1988 however grouped joined COSATU to form the MDM. 89 ANC called for a Defiance campaign against government - opposition to tricameral parliament election in September 1989.
Role of civics
Black church leaders: Spoke out against Apartheid, deeming it unChristian.
End Conscription Campaign: Formed in 1983 to oppose conscription in SADF.
Black Sash: White women’s movement that advised African people with numerous issues such as pass, housing, unemployment and forced removals.
