South Africa: NP Lose Control & Botha’s Negotiations 1985-1989 Flashcards
What did the NP realise by the mid-1980s and why?
-white supremacy was under threat
-township revolts, homeland problems, international condemnation, economic slowdown were all unsolvable problems that were a threat
What did the National Party try to do in the years 1985-1989 ?
To suppress African rebellion whilst also opening negotiations, all in an attempt to protect white interests
Give evidence of how there was enormous increases in police killings between 1985 and 1989
In 1984 there were less than 100 killed by security forces
1985: over 500 killed by security forces
What was Botha’s attitude to his own new parliament and constitution?
He ignored it more and more
What did Botha use instead of his new constitution?
The SSC (state security council)
What did the State Security Council do?
-coordinated security operations
-was directly supervised by government ministers-including Botha
What was one of the reasons for increased deaths because of security forces?
A SSC directive that called for the ‘physical gunning down of leaders in riot situations’ and the ‘removal of intimidators’
This tended to occur at protest marches and political funerals
What did Botha do that meant tens of thousands of people were arrested between 1985-1989?
Declared several states of emergency
What does ‘Kitskonstabels’ mean?
The instant police
Who made up the ‘Kitskonstabels’?
Usually unemployed African men who were enlisted by the security forces in large numbers as special police
What were the ‘Kitskonstabels’ tasked to do?
To destroy the community organisations established by the UDF
Other than the ‘Kitskonstabels’, which group set up by the security forces terrorised black communities ?
Vigilante groups such as ‘Witdoeke’
What does ‘Witdoeke’ mean?
White scarves
What did the National Party argue about violence in 1985-1989?
- it showed Africans couldn’t govern themselves
-they denied knowledge of crimes by security services and vigilantes
what did the high levels of state repression lead to?
International backlash and considerable world attention focused on police brutality in townships- e.g. the ‘Trojan Horse’ incident
What was the impact of international backlash on South Africa 1985-1989?
-significant impact on the economy because foreign bankers and investors began to pull out of the country
How many US companies left South Africa between 1984 and 1985?
40 exited in 1984 and 50 more left in 1985
Which banks refused to loan money to South Africa and when?
Citibank- 1985
Barclays Bank- March 1986
What did the USA do in October 1986 that impacted South Africa?
Congress passed legislation that implemented sanctions against South Africa
- air links between America and South Africa were also ended and South African imports were also banned