Resisting Apartheid 1955-78 Flashcards
Formation of the PAC
1959
-breakaway group from the ANC
-the ANC was led by Luthuli and Mandela and believed in multiracial cooperation
-Robert Sobukwe rejected the multiracial approach and promoted Pan Africanism, that Africa should be for Africans and black South Africans should fight against whites
Sharpeville Massacre and Langa
-PAC organised an anti-Pass law protest in Sharpeville
-5,000 protestors gathered outside a police station demanding to be arrested without passbooks
-police opened fire on unarmed protestors without warning, killing 69 and injuring over 180
-a Langa township, police attacked protestors, killing two and wounding 49
impact of Sharpeville Massacre domestically
-government declared state of emergency and decided on total repression
-South African government banned public meetings and arrested 18,000 activists
-ANC and PAC banned 1960, forcing them underground
-apartheid laws were tightened: pass laws and detention of activists without trial for long periods
-ANC formed MK, which turned to violence
international impact of Sharpeville Massacre
-UN criticised SA, diplomatic pressure
-the British Anti-Apartheid movement started campaigning for sanctions and isolation of South Africa.
Spear of the nation as an organisation and its activites
-militant wing of ANC, with Mandela as a key leader
-aim was to sabotage government infrastructure to weaken the apartheid
-exploded homemade bombs in 3 cities at electric power stations and government offices
-many key ANC and MK leaders were arrested
What happened to Mandela after the MK bombings
-survived underground for 17 months, where he was going around different country to train as a guerrilla fighter and to support
-he was captured and arrest in 1962 when he returned to SA, imprisoned for 5 years for leaving the country illegally as his link to MK was not yet known
Liliesleaf Farm raid
-this was the secret HQ of MK in Rivonia
-police raided it and arrested 9 key MK members and also found many MK plans linked to Mandela
Rivonia Trial 1964
-the accused, including Mandela, were charged with sabotage and attempting to overthrow the government
-prosecution demanded the death penalty but die to international pressure, they were given life sentences instead
-some prisoners including Mandela were taken to Robben Island, forced to do hard labour in a limestone quarry, isolated from the outside world. They were allowed one letter every 6 months. They upkept resistance by educating younger prisoners
impact of the Rivonia Trial
-key members of ANC and MK were lost and opposition to apartheid was not easy to foster
-increased international opposition to apartheid as UN passed a resolution calling for sanctions
-countries imposed economic sanctions and cultural boycotts against SA such as Free South Africa movement in US and AAM in the UK
International opposition that SA faced
-excluded from 1964 Tokyo Olympics, expelled from the Olympic movement in 1970
-left the British Commonwealth after facing pressure to end apartheid, cw countries would not recognise them unless they stopped discrimination
-UN general assembly suspended SA from participating in its activities in 1974
-1977 UN banned all military sales to South Africa
-many economic sanctions, UN urged: by the late 1980s, over 40 countries had cut economic ties with South Africa
-OAU (aimed to end colonialism in Africa) barred SA from being a member. They supported resistance, providing ANC and PAC with resources
-many sports faced boycotts, leading to protests. SA was banned from 90 international sporting bodies by the 1980s
Soweto Uprising causes
-government forced half the classes to be taught in Afrikaans, the language of the oppressors
-many teachers did not speak Afrikaans well, so it was difficult to be taught
-Afrikaan was also less useful than English as it was only spoke in South Africa
-they also were upset that they had to pay for poor quality education, while whites had free, high quality education
Soweto Uprising event
1976
-15,000 pupils went to to streets to protest against the rule
-police responded with violence using tear gas and guns, killing 700
-6,000 arrested
-14k pupils fled the country and joined the ANC and MK
-schools were closed for most of 1976
-protests spread to over 100 towns
-images such as of Hector Pieterson shocked the world
Impacts of the Soweto Uprising
-radicalised many pupils, as they were inspired by others’ bravery
-formation of SASM, which played a big role in mobilising resistance
-killed many
-government lost control of black townships. These sheltered ANC guerrillas
-increased international attention and opposition, the UN security council passed resolution 392, condemned the SA gov for its violent repression. Also banned from 1976 Montreal Olympics
-less foreign investment and technology
-by mid 1980s, 200 US companies had withdrawn from SA
-economic disruptions to white businesses from the riots, as well as the sanctions and boycotts meant that whites started to want reform
-economic growth went from 3.5% in 75 to 1.5% in 76
-US exports fell 25% in 4 years, imports 30%
-by 1978 over 50 countries had sanctioned South Africa
Black Consciousness Movement features
-uni students led by Steve Biko formed the SASO
-they believed they should believe they were equal to whites and not inferior, they should be confident and proud as black
-rejected multiracial alliances unlike the ANC, wanted blacks to lead their struggles
-peaceful activism
-helped in organising protests such as Soweto Uprising
-practical resistance by stopping dependence on whites, making community projects like the Zanempilo Community Health Clinic
-inspire many to resists the education system in the Soweto Uprising
-‘black is beautiful’ slogan
Steve Biko’s Death
-arrested under Terrorism Act
-tortured by police and suffered brain injuries
-left naked and chained in a police cell, where he died in 1977
-SA gov tried to cover up the death, claiming he died from a hunger strike
-Donald Woods exposed the trust using smuggled photos of his injuries to the world
-international condemnation and stronger apartheid sanctions
-by 1978 over 50 countries had sanctions against SA
Impact of BCM
-reignited apartheid resistance after ANC and PAC were banned, new generation of activists (students)
-Soweto uprising
-international opposition from Biko’s death photos and the Soweto Uprising
