Why Did Opposition Increase In The Years 1960-61?

Question 1

Peaceful protest-PAC

Answer 1

End of 1950s, PAC less concerned to develop disciplined leadership
Increasingly felt if they lit the match, people would carry the fire
Mass anger would sustain movement

Question 2

Pass marches of 1960

Answer 2

Robert Sobukwe, leader of PAC, limited experience of political campaigning but settled on pass laws as major focus
Would launch campaign before ANC to pre empt
Activists would offer themselves up and hoped to cripple police and judiciary

Question 3

Pass laws

Answer 3

Heart of new political dynamism
Single most frequent cause of difficult encounters with police
Demeaning and daily reminder of apartheid
Pass raids used by police as a form of punishment when confronting urban protests

Question 4

Sharpeville massacre facts

Answer 4

69 dead
180 injured
21st March 1960

Question 5

Factors that politicised Sharpeville

Answer 5

• Arrival of others due to Group Areas, little new housing available so added large and angry addition to sharpeville’s population
• Areas favoured by migrant workers so had insecure rights yet equally dependent on wages, illegal pass raids stepped up
• PAC local branch quickly spreads info

Question 6

Sharpeville massacre

Answer 6

The night of 20 March 1960, youths moved onto streets and stab policeman
Police respond in force and disperse crowds with baton charges and gunfire
Morning of 21st, 5,000 gather outside fence surrounding sharpeville police station and request to all be arrested
Police reinforcement arrive and as crowd surge forward (conflicting evidence of whether crowd shot) police shoot into crowd and then at those running away

Question 7

Aftermath of sharpeville

Answer 7

News circulated SA and triggered criticism overseas
Graphic evidence of photos spread
New level of international concern, 1st April 1960 UN pass resolution condemning Sharpeville
State of Emergency declared on 30th March

Question 8

Banning of political parties and the state of Emergency

Answer 8

State had overwhelming force at its disposal and the police and armed forces were loyal
State of Emergency strengthened police powers could detain people without restriction from courts and arrest political leaders
Public meetings outlawed
Unlawful Organisations Act banned parties that threatened public order