Theme 3: 1968-83 Flashcards
How did changes in eduation cause Soweto uprising?
1974 - Botha announce maths, arithemtic and social studies would be taught in Afrikaans and English used for science and pratical subjects. Any tribal language was only for RS, music and physical culture.
Treurnicht increased Afrikaans to 50% of teachings which black students rejected as it was the language of the oppressor (they wanted english).
Resentment grew and in April 1976 students from Orlando West Junior School in Soweto refused to go to school, which spread
How did black consciousness cause Soweto uprising?
By 1975 BC movement shifted to high schools as black ‘drop-outs’ became teachers and spread BC identity. Youth saw BC as fashionable to fight tsotsis and apartheid. Due to consermism of 1960s many blacks had seperate identities. One of Abraham Onkogopotse Tiro’s pupils Tsietsi Mashinini led the student Soweto Revolt in 1976
Poor standards of living in Soweto
Population of 1.5mil with one hospital, 20% of homes had electricity and 5% with hot water
Overcrowding made 400,000 migrant workers homeless
Low pay and sharing 3/4 room houses all could of led to uprising
Desmond Tutu warned Soweto was at breaking point before uprising
ANC progress in the 1970s
- Tambo ‘external mission’: Worked with AAM in London; Co-ordinated MK activity and raised funds for weapons, training and military campaigns; continued sabotage on railways, industrial plants, attack govt offices and assasinations (e.g. police station in Soekemkaar)
- Sport and economic boycotts: SA expelled from international cricket, 1977 Commonwealth Gleneagles agreement against SA playing in sport (upset white SA), Novermeber 1977 UN Security Counicl Resolution 418 changed universal arms embargo from voluntary to mandatory.
Limited Success of ANC in 1970s
No more mass protests till 1980s
MK invasions into SA halted after failed attempt to enter through Nambia
During cold war seen as communists which was image hard to remove
South African National Party threats during 1970s
Liberal opposition - Set up by 11 Liberal MPs. Progressive Party won 7 MPs in 1974 elections and 17 in 1977 (NP had 134). Opposed apartheid and was consisted of white, educated, middle class. Were main opposition to NP but Frederil Van Slabbert got too radical and lost votes
Infomation Scandal 1978 - Vorster gave Mudler secret fund to wage a propaganda campaign within and outside country. Fund used in corrupt + inappropriate ways. Most money went to loss making newspaper ‘The Citizen’ designed to win over english speaking voters to the Afrikaners nationalist cause. Increasingly difficult for Afrikaners to shut their eyes to corruptness
International National Party threats in the 1970s
- Commonwealth and UN sanctions - Manadatory trade embargo in 1977, banned sports fixtures in SA in 1977
Focus on Mandela - 1978 card campaign for his 60th birthday (3000 cards including one from Labour Party), ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ slogan and 1983 concert for 65th birthday - MK - training camps and bases in Angola and Mozambique. Exiled ANC leaders and other opposition groups set up HQs in these countries and were organising opposition from them. MK also cross borders and attack SA like the Sasolberg oil refinery in 1980, Keoberg nuclear power station in 1981 and Durban Docks 1980
Reforms to overcome International condemnation and sacntions
- 1979 National Football League was deracialised
- 1981 beaches, cinemas and many public places de segregated
- 1983 under Botha’s tri-cameral parliament, Coloured and Indian parliaments were set up
Reforms to overcome threats on international borders
- In Angola bases of SWAPO and MK were raided with US backing
- Due to arms banning by UN, SA were being assisted by getting 80% of their arms from France and Israel in 1982
- Mozambique President Machel agreed to not assist the ANC or allow MK bases but in 1986 BOSS misdirected his plane so civil war continued.
Reforms ot keep white voters and business support in SA
- Allowed African workers more skilled trades
- Recognised black migration and encouraged a black business elite to grow
Rents to Blacks on long term basis were allowed and power was given to black urban councils in 1979
All used to appease Verlightes in NP and Progressive Party white voters
Reforms to overcome increased opposition in SA
- Increased spending on homelands/Bantustans
- Recognised trade unions as long as they registered and opperated within a set of rules
- In 1978, Afrikaner University of Stellenbosch admitted first non-white students
- 1981De Large Commission equalised spending between different race’s schools
These constitutional changes designed o reduce opposition and give voive to non-whites
