Resisting Apartheid 1955-78

Question 1

What was voted for during the ANC annual conference Dec 1959?

Answer 1

To initiate a countrywide anti-pass campaign beginning on 31^st March 1960 and climaxing of the 26^th June.

Question 2

What did the PAC do in 1959/60?

Answer 2

The PAC at this time appeared lost, they were a leadership in search of followers and had yet to initiate any action that put them on the political map. They launched an anti-pass campaign on the 21^st March

Question 3

What happened before the Sharpeville Massacre?

Answer 3

Robert Sobukwe, leader of the PAC, had written to the police asking them to remain non-violent.

Question 4

What was the slogan of the protestors at the Sharpeville Massacre?

Answer 4

No bail! No defence! No fine!

Question 5

What was the result of the Sharpeville Massacre?

Answer 5

• 69 were killed
• It bought international media attention
• Made Sobukwe’s influence clear to the the government resulting in the Sobukwe Clause being passed
• The government adopted a policy of total repression
• The army reserve was called out
• There were thousands of arrests including Philip Kgosana
• The ANC and the PAC were “banned”

Question 6

What did the Sobukwe Clause do?

Answer 6

Allow the government to detain Robert Sobukwe indefinitely

Question 7

Who was Philip Kgosana?

Answer 7

He led the anti-pass demonstrations for the PAC in Cape Town

Question 8

What happened to Robert Sobukwe?

Answer 8

He was later transferred to Kimberly where he studied law and set up a firm. He re-established his life under house arrest and constant surveillance and continued to articulate his beliefs

Question 9

What were the reasons for the ANC Nationwide Congress and the Freedom Charter (1955)?

Answer 9

• Issues affecting many demographics
• Against violence and poverty for black SAs

Question 10

What were the methods of protest of the ANC Nationwide Congress and the Freedom Charter (1955)?

Answer 10

• Mass support
• Volunteers got resolutions from many different groups

Question 11

What was the result of the ANC Nationwide Congress and the Freedom Charter (1955)?

Answer 11

• It served as a basis for other protests
• The leaders got banned
• Mass arrests
• The Treason Trial

Question 12

What was the Treason Trial?

Answer 12

156 people connected with the Freedom Charter were arrested and accused of treason, supporting communism and belonging to a communist organisation

Question 13

When was the Treason Trial?

Answer 13

Dec 1956 - 1961

Question 14

How did the Treason Trial conclude?

Answer 14

Whilst jailed the leaders could meet and plan. After 5 years all were acquitted

Question 15

Why, after the Treason Trial, was the decision made to turn to violent action?

Answer 15

• The push Mandela made by going public
• The support of Moses Kotane and Chief Luthuli
• The ANC did not want to be left behind by the emergence of violent protests

Question 16

What arguments were made against violent action?

Answer 16

• That Mandela was “outmanoeuvred and paralysed by the government’s actions”
• The non-violent approach could still work
• Innocent people would be hurt
• They promised non-violence in the Treason Trial
• The Indian Congressmen
• 50 years of the core ANC tradition being non-violence

Question 17

Why was sabotage decided upon?

Answer 17

• Terrorism looked bad and loses popularity
• Open revolution they were too small for
• Guerrilla warfare they had not yet trained for
• Caused the least loss of life

Question 18

When was MK’s first act exploding government infrastructure?

Answer 18

16^th Dec 1961

Question 19

What did Mandela do whilst “underground” for 17 years?

Answer 19

• Travelled throughtout SA
• Trained to fight a guerrilla war in Ethiopia
• Went to Britain and other African nations seeking advice and support
• Disguised as a chauffeur or garden boy

Question 20

How was Mandela jailed?

Answer 20

By a police trap in 1962 for leaving the country without permission

Question 21

When was the Lilliesleaf Farm Raid?

Answer 21

11^th July 1963

Question 22

What was found during the Lilliesleaf Farm Raid?

Answer 22

Papers linking MK to acts of violence and giving the names of organisers including Mandela (who was already in prison)

Question 23

When was the Rivonia Trial?

Answer 23

Oct 1963 - 12^th June 1964

Question 24

What was the Rivonia Trial?

Answer 24

Ten leading opponents of Apartheid (Mandela and Sisulu among them) went on trial for their lives on charges of sabotage

Question 25

What was argued during the Rivonia Trial?

Answer 25

- That the law was drawn up with consent of the majority - It was enforced to ensure perpetuation of an unjust system and therefore a struggle would be waged to establish a new system including a legal system that would embody the values of a non-racial constitution that protected human rights

Question 26

What did Mandela say in his Rivonia Trial speech?

Answer 26

He condemned the court as illegitimate and argued that the laws were unusually harsh and that defiance of them was justified

Question 27

What happened to the defence lawyer after the Rivonia Trial?

Answer 27

Bram Fischer was arrested, put on trial and convicted for "supporting communism". Many believe that the state went after Fischer just because the Rivonia trialist had not received the death penalty

Question 28

What was the result of the Rivonia Trial?

Answer 28

- International media attention - 8 sentenced to life imprisonment on Robin Island - Disrupted MK operations - Led to movements strengthening their underground networks - Movements created organisational capacity outside of the country

Question 29

Who was Steve Biko?

Answer 29

He led the Black Consciousness movement, with the slogan "Black is beautiful" until his banning in in 1973 and death in 1977

Question 30

What was the Black Consciousness movement?

Answer 30

The idea that black people need to value their identity and embrace being black. It is pride and realisation of their own humanity

Question 31

What did the Black Consciousness movement aim to do?

Answer 31

Challenge racism by working as a group and change ideas such as make-up usage

Question 32

What did the government announce in 1974?

Answer 32

That black education was to be taught in Afrikaans

Question 33

Why did teachers find it hard to teach in Afrikaans?

Answer 33

- They couldn't understand it - They saw it as the language of the oppressors

Question 34

What happened in Soweto?

Answer 34

3 marches to Orlando Stadium on the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th of June 1976 where they waited for government response. There was mass demonstrating with no parents involved

Question 35

What did the police do at Soweto?

Answer 35

Gave them 3 minutes to leave, the students began to sing and the police fired

Question 36

What weapons were used at Soweto?

Answer 36

The students used dustbin lids and stones against the police's tear gas and bullets

Question 37

What happened during the Soweto uprisings?

Answer 37

- They attacked government buildings and white owned vehicles - Arrested students were tortured

Question 38

How did the government respond to the Soweto Uprisings?

Answer 38

By shutting schools involved, keeping law and order with any means possible and refusing to be intimidated

Question 39

What some causes of the Soweto Uprisings?

Answer 39

- The changing of the language of black education - Rising black unemployment - Lack of housing - Changes to urban authorities - Increasing cost of urban living for the already poor blacks

Question 40

What were the results of the Soweto Uprisings?

Answer 40

- Many were killing, injured or arrested - Many buildings were destroyed - Increased international media attention

Question 41

What was the Boycott Movement?

Answer 41

Involved the boycotting of SA goods because whilst black SAs were suffering economically already, they were prepared to suffer more if an international boycott of SA would put pressure on the Nationalist government to make changes to the Apartheid laws

Question 42

What changes were made to the Boycott Movement following the Sharpeville Massacre?

Answer 42

It renamed itself the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) and campaigned for the imposition of sanctions and for the total isolation of SA

Question 43

What happened during the Sporting Boycotts in the 1960s?

Answer 43

The AAM worked with the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SANROC) to get SA excluded from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and in 1970 SA was expelled from the Olympic movement

Question 44

What were the biggest sports played by whites in SA?

Answer 44

Rugby and cricket

Question 45

What happened during the Springbok rugby tour to the UK in 1969?

Answer 45

The AAM organised protests at al 23 games including mass marches and direct action of students, trade unionists, ethnic minorities and more. Although the tour was completed, the demonstrations paved the way for the cancellation of the Springbok cricket tour in 1970

Question 46

Why was international opposition to Apartheid unsuccessful in the 1960s?

Answer 46

- SA was the highest producer of many important commodities - SA had an "economic stranglehold" on its neighbours - SA employed many black migrants from its neighbours - The railroads to SA ports were the main trade routes for its neighbours - The SA army was very strong - Britain and the USA needed SA in the cold war especially for the goods and vital sea route - Nationalist propaganda claimed that only they could keep the communists out