South Africa 1968-83 Flashcards
What was ‘Black Consciousness’
A movement which argued black people should lead themselves, and needed to rethink their own position in society and liberate their own minds
What was SASO, who founded it and why was it formed
South African Students Organisation, a group that expressed liberal, non-racial views, based at Turfloop University.
It was founded by Steve Biko after his old university political group, NUSAS, was banned from hosting their black delegations at the University of Natal, which the students attended
What did Black Consciousness mean for Africans
It made Black people feel assured in their race, and created a sense of self-definition of themselves as a people. It also popularised the use of the term ‘Black’, derived from Black Americans, as opposed to the NP-named term ‘Bantu’
What year was the Black Consciousness Movement officially set up
1972
How did SASO capitalise on continental events to promote their ideology
Much of Africa was experiencing military coups, including Mozambique, and SASO used this to organise rallies for liberation in SA
Why did SASO become a threat to the NP
They were a growing group who were unafraid to make direct speeches and criticise Apartheid
How did the government crack down on SASO and what month
In March 1973, banning orders were given against its leaders such as Biko
What happened to SASO in 1975
9 SASO members (the SASO 9) were arrested and trialled under the Terrorism Act. As SASO wasn’t an illegal group, the media were allowed to quote their black consciousness views in their publications and therefore it created lots of publicity for SASO
How had schools changed for Black children up to the mid 1970s
Schools became sites of expectation and deprivation, and therefore they left room for political potential. There were also far more children in schools than before
From 1950-75, the number of African children at school increased from _______ to _______
From 1950-75, the number of African children at school increased from 1 million to 3.5 million
From 1972-1976, high school numbers in Soweto alone rose from ____ to ____
1972: 12,600
1976: 34,000
What two main groups did High School Students face in Soweto
The Racist Government and the Violent Tsotsis
Name 3 examples of violent street gangs in Soweto
- the Hazels
- the Dirty Dozen
- the Bandidos
What Act changed the language of teaching to Afrikaans in some subjects and what year
Afrikaans Mediums Decree, 1974
Name 2 subjects that was taught in Afrikaans as a result of the Afrikaans Medium Decree 1974
Maths, (any social science)
Why were students upset at having to be taught in Afrikaans instead of English
They saw it as the language of the oppressor, whilst they saw English as the language of advancement in society
Describe the Soweto Uprising (DMY)
16th June 1976, 2000 schoolchildren marched through Soweto in protest to being taught in Afrikaans. The police opened fire on the children, and set dogs on them. 176 people were said to have died, but it could have been over 700.
How did the people of Soweto react to the massacre
They were furious and attacked government buildings, barricaded off areas and killed 2 officials. The government responded with force and Soweto was in conflict for days.
How did other Black people in SA react
They were also angry, and attacked and burned down anything Afrikaner related, leading to armed struggle all over the country for weeks.
How many young people had to leave the country in exile after causing violence and damages in 1976-77 after the Soweto Uprising
4,000
Where did most of these people exile themselves to and why
Lusaka, Zambia - this was the foreign base of the ANC so many moved here to join the ANC or MK
What happened to Steve Biko in 1973 (4 details)
- Banned from SASO
- Forced to live in Kingwilliamstown
- Movements were restricted
- Banned from attending political meetings
Including dates, describe the events of Steve Biko’s death
In August 1977, Biko left Kingwilliamstown and therefore broke his banning order. He was arrested, interrogated and severely beaten. This brought him close to death, so he was driven to a prison hospital in Pretoria where he died on the 12th September 1977
Who challenged the police statement on Biko’s death and how
Biko’s friend, White reporter Donald Woods. He produced evidence such as Biko saying he’d never commit suicide and the photographs taken in the morgue, proving Biko had likely been beaten to death in police care
What did the police say about the death of Biko
They claimed he died to a hunger strike whilst in custody
How did the international community react to the death of Steve Biko
They strongly disapproved, especially in the West
What was significant about the funeral of Steve Biko
Over 10,000 attended, including Foreign Ambassadors, and became a mass sign of support for Steve Biko
What two military campaigns did the MK undergo while in exile (and year)
Wankie - 1967
Sipolilo - 1968
Describe the Wankie and Sipolilo campaigns
Trained MK guerilla fighters tried to create a route through Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and got into a number of skirmishes along the way. They won many but eventually some of them got destroyed by Rhodesian forces whilst the others had to escape to Botswana
Sipolilo lasted longer than Wankie but resulted in heavier losses
Who created a memorandum accusing the ANC of becoming globetrotting middle class men who cared more about money and reputation than helping the AA cause
Chris Hani, survivor of the Wankie Campaign
Who did Chris Hani’s memorandum criticise in particular and why
ANC leader Joe Modise - they thought he was undemocratic and was more occupied with ‘mysterious business enterprises’ than fighting Apartheid
Who diffused tensions between MK leadership and MK fighters and what did they do
Oliver Tambo - He took personal blame for the failures of the two campaigns and expelled the youthful rebels from the ANC
Where was a major ANC conference held in 1969
Morogoro, Tanzania
What happened at the Morogoro Conference
- Tambo resigned but was immediately reelected
- The ANC decided to accept people of all races
- They adopted a ‘strategy and tactics’ plan which affirmed armed struggle, but also called the need for political leadership and unity
- The youthful rebels like Hani were reinstated
Who reacted badly to the idea of the ANC accepting all races and what did they do immediately after the meeting. What ended up happening to them later (Y)
Tennyson Makiwane, a senior ANC member, who left and with his followes started a rival movement which eventually rejoined the ANC. Makiwane himself was eventually assassinated in 1980 after joining the Transkei Homeland Government
What campaign relating to sports was set up against SA after the Basil D’Oliveira events
the Stop the Seventy Tour
What was the target of the Stop the Seventy Tour and how successful were they
They first targeted the 1969-70 South African Rugby tour of the UK and Ireland. The tour was disrupted with pitch invasions and mass demonstrations but the tour continued to the end
Name two major people involved in the Stop the Seventy Tour
Peter Hain (later UK Labour Minister) organised the protests
Gordon Brown (later PM) attended a demonstration in Edinburgh
What happened to cricket in SA following the Stop the Seventy Tour
The 1970 tour to the UK was cancelled and SA were expelled from international test cricket
What campaign emerged in New Zealand regarding sport and SA
Halt All Racist Tours - successfully campaigned to SA bringing a white-only team to play in NZ
What major agreement discouraged all signatories from playing SA in any sporting capacity, and what year. Who signed this?
Gleneagles Agreement, 1977, signed by many Commonwealth countries
What changes did the Conservative government make in 1970 regarding economic activity with SA
Withdrew from the UN arms boycott and made economic relationships closer than ever to follow a policy or ‘constructive engagement’
Define Constructive Engagement
A policy employed by the Conservative Government to increase trade with SA. The idea was that economic trade and influence would force SA businesses to improve wages and conditions for black workers
Name one group who believed Constructive Engagement would be good for ending Apartheid and one group who believed it would be bad and why
For: Liberals in SA - thought improving the economy would force a dependence on Black people and allow more liberties
Against: AAM - Thought it was a way for the UK and TNC’s to profit by exploiting cheap, unfair Black Labour
Who sold their holdings in companies with interests in SA to fight Apartheid in 1972?
World Council of Churches
