South Africa Theme 2 - Radicalisation Of Resistance And The Consolidation Of National Party Power Flashcards
What was the wind of change speech
February 1960
Harold MacMillan
Received a frosty reception from South African politicians as he spoke out against system of apartheid.
What was the Vaal triangle
Heavy industrialised area that was politicised, it became known as a centre for protest.
What 3 factors politicised the Vaal triangle
• population increased swiftly as 10,000 people moved into sharpie following the group areas act. Little new housing available and rents increased
• high level of migrant workers residing in sharpie from Lesotho.
• PAC well established in sharpie. Around 200 members who were able to spread the word for protest
Evidence of split in movement at sharpeville
The ANC decided to march against pass laws on 31st march 1960
PAC decided to do it 10 days earlier 21st march 1960.
SPLIT IN MOVEMENT
What were the events at sharpeville
21st march 1960
5-20k gathered outside police station peacefully protesting against pass laws.
Demanded arrest for not carrying pass laws
Standoff continued all morning.
400 police, 200 white with rifles, 200
African with clubs
Police role at sharpeville
• Colonel pienaar admitted that he failed to warn the crowd of danger if an armed response if they did not disperse
• lined up police and ordered them to loads, however, later said in evidence that he did not give the order to fire
• witnesses accused the police of placing stones on the station side of the fence to provide evidence that these had been thrown at police before they opened fire
“I do not know how many we shot”
Media response to sharpeville
The massacre was photographed, photos went all around the world
The UN passed security council resolution 134 condemning the SA government and apartheid for the events at sharpeville
How many dead and wounded at sharpeville
69 dead, 186 wounded
What was mpondoland
Government took control of rich costal forests in order to conserve them they tried to stop regular use as well as settlement
People ignored regulations
March 1960 rebellion began when an advocates house burned down
March-June rebels burned down the homelands of chiefs working with government
6th June rebels organised meeting at nguza hill, rumours of an attack so government sent army
As at sharpeville, no warning of fire. 11 shot
Short term political results of sharpeville
• protest not widespread enough, nor militant enough to threaten white rule
• majority of police were white and loyal to apartheid regime
• black policemen participated in combating crime, imposing pass laws and helping to suppress political mobilisation.
What was the state of emergency
• 30th march 1960
• police meetings were outlawed
• police could detain people without restriction by the courts
• 10-18k arrested, 2k first few days
• thousands of political leaders were arrested using public safety act 1953 which required no warrants
Mandela
Luthuli
Slovo
Sobukwe
What was Langa
• march 30th 1960
• 30-50k marched to Caledon square in Cape Town, where police HQ was
• led by kgosana- PAC
What was the unlawful organisations act
• April 8 1960
• banned parties that threatened political order
• united party (main opposition) supported act
• aimed at AND And PAC and made them illegal. (ANC did not organise sharpeville)
Other results of sharpeville
• huge crowds attended funerals of those killed
• burnt passbooks in protest all over SA
• African held stay-at-home protests all over South Africa
• ANC and PAC set up headquarters abroad
• anti-apartheid groups set up in many countries
• UN called for sanctions against SA.
• ANC and PAC abandoned non-violence and founded militant resistance organisations. MK and POQO
Difference between a republic and a head of state
A republic is a country with no monarchy whereas the commonwealth is a group of countries with the same head of state
The people’s voice referendum
Jan 1960 verwoerd announced that a referendum would be held that year in the issue of a republic.
White only vote
90% turnout
52% in favour of a republic
Support came from Afrikaner heartlands of Transvaal and orange free state. Natal voted against it
What was the aim of the referendum and what was the outcome (commonwealth)
The aim was to become a republic but remain in the commonwealth
When verwoerd went to England to discuss remaining in commonwealth, he was faced by fierce criticism with many wanting South Africa expulsion from the commonwealth.
Verwoerd decided it would be best to leave the commonwealth before SA was expelled or faced even more criticism
Details of South Africa’s republic
31st may 1961
RSA - republic of South Africa
A state president replaced the queen. Not the real president, but a ceremonial rule.
New currency, rand, replaced the poun
Impact of verwoerd moves to block non-whites representing South Africa in sports
Forced out of Olympic Games in 1960
Expelled from FIFA in 1976
When was the anti-apartheid movement formed and who was president.
Britain, formed 1959
Trevor Huddleston
What was MK
‘Spear of the nation’
Attached to ANC
founded by Mandela and slovo
Originally would sabotage government property and train in guerilla warfare.
What was POQO
‘Pure’
Attached with the PAC
Targeted white people white they saw as the enemy
Most violent of the armed movement
Feared for its ruthlessness
What were some reasons for the move to armed struggle
• Sharpeville.
• the government became increasingly devious when dealing with protestors, they were arresting activists
• opposition leaders finally realised peaceful protest wouldn’t work.
• security forces were always militant so protestors became too
What was the general laws amendment act
•1961-63
• known as the ninety day act
• allowed police to detain without warrant a person suspected of a politically motivated crime for up to 90 days without access to a lawyer
• introduced the ‘sobukwe clause’ which allowed people already convicted of political offences to be further detained. (Used to keep sobukwe in robbed island for an extra 6 years)
What was the terrorism act w
• 1967
• section 6 of the act allowed someone suspected of involvement in terrorism, anything that might “endanger the maintenance of law and order” - to be detained for 60 days (could be renewed) without trail on the authority of a senior police officer
• estimated 80 died under act
Who was Chris hani
• joined ANCYL age 15
• joined MK and following arrest under suppression of communism act
• received military training in USSR
• became head of MK and moved to Zambia
• took over head of SACP from Sligo
• assassinated in 93 outside house
What was the wankie campaign
• FAILURE
• attempted military incursion into SA led by 25 year old Chris hani
• 80 MK soldiers crossed Zambezi from Zambia into Rhodesia.
• Rhodesian army attacked them twice over a period of 2 weeks as they attempted to cross Rhodesia and gain entry to SA
• 30 MK activists killed, 20 captured, 30 escaped to Botswana
Results of the wankie campaign
• Zambia asked MK to leave and find new base
• hani critical of the ANC
• hani writes the hani memo where accuses the leaders of the ANC of being ‘careerists’ and middle class ‘globe trotting’ bureaucrats.
What happened at liliesleaf farm
1963, headquarters of MK at the farm in rivonia was raided, and the entire MK leadership was arrested.
Charged with “recruiting people for training in sabotage and guerrilla warfare for the purpose of violent revolution”
Reasons why the rivonia trial was a political opportunity for the ANC
• im prepared to die speech
• publicity from media encouraged people to understand situation
• wrote long walk to freedom
• hands baton to tambo
• best result they could hope for, no death sentence
• other countries noticed
• Mandela could voice his views in front of a big crowd
Reasons why the rivonia trial was not a political opportunity
• bad publicity of cause
• loss of international support
• leadership in prison
• strengthens opposition.
What was the hani memo
A letter to the ANC leadership following wankie campaign criticising the ANC as no reaction made from failure
ANC reaction to hani memo (morogoro)
• morogoro conference 1969
• Oliver Rambo resigns but is immediately re-elected by ANC members
• he then makes substantial changes to the ANC structure and approach, “no more military incursions”
• whit people can now hold senior positions in the ANC, Slovo promotion.
• clarified links with the communist party
How did the morogoro conference lead to a split in the movement
• a rival ANC group emerged under the leadership of Tennyson Makiwane, who believed the ANC should remain African
• Makiwane expelled from ANC in 1975
• went to the Transkei and worked for chief Matanzima
• assassinated in 1980 by POQO
When was verwoerd assassinated
Who done it
6th September 1966
Assassinated by communist born in Mozambique
Whi took over from verwoerd
John vorster 1966-78 previous minister of justice
Impact of economics growth on black South Africans
• employment in manufacturing industry, mostly black SA, doubled 1951-1975, 855,000 - 1.6m
• gold mining jobs increased 300,000-400,000
• white collar work also increased 75-420k
• some employment also in bureaucracy
However, job reservation meant that many jobs barred black Africans plumbers, electricians, welders. Nor were they allowed to be in management of whit workers
Impact of economic growth on income
Per capita income in the 60’s rose by 23% for black South Africans
White South Africa incomes rose by 50%. White South Africans paid on average 12 times more than black
Impact on black society
• increase in black South African in income created the emergence of a black middle class
• Out of this group black focus products and services newspapers, magazines, soft drinks, clothes, cookers, radios, and a new market emerged
• financial services catering for black Society
Impact on white society
• Car production South Africa produced 95,000 1960 and 195,000 in 1970
• per capita car ownership was fourth in the world behind USA Australia and Canada
• one car every three white South Africans
• cause became assembled of freedom and wealth for white South Africans
Verwoerd plans for developing the baristas
•Had plans for further segregation
•Idea was to develop the policy that Africans should live in tribal reserves and only enter white SA for work
•Key focus was to strengthen separate development and idealised apatheid
Significance of the Transkei
1963, proclaimed ‘self-governing’ territory
1976, ‘independent’
Chief kaiser matanzima placed in charge
Who was chief kaiser matanzima
• viewed by some as the collaborator with apartheid regime and survived several assassination attempts by POQO.
• 1963, chief minister of the Transkei legislative assembly when it was proclaimed a self-governing territory
• made ‘prime minister’ in 76 when it gained ‘independence’
Background on vorster
•Former member of the OB
• supported pro-nazi activities in WW2
• member of Dutch reformed church and broederbond
• 61, appointed as minister of justice, police, and prisons and he used the law vigorously to suppress political opponents.
What was John vorster square
• 23rd August 1968, John Forster square, a police HQ, in Johannesburg that became synonymous with detention, torture and death in detention was opened.
• 10 story building, floors 9 & 10 were occupied by security branch of SA police.
• was a policy hub but also used to keep detainees.
Ways government repression grew in the 60’s
• state of emergency 1960
• unlawful organisations act 1961
• rebuild 1961
• general laws amendment act 1961-63
• rivonia 1964
