1980s Crisis Of Apartheid Flashcards
(314 cards)
Who succeeded John Vorster as prime minister of South Africa in 1978?
PW Botha
What was PW Botha’s role before becoming prime minister?
Minister of Defence
What did South Africa’s military spending do between 1974 and 1981?
Quadrupled
What term did PW Botha use to describe the perceived communist aggression?
Total Onslaught
What does ‘Swart Gevaar’ mean?
Black Threat
What does ‘Rooi Gevaar’ refer to?
Red Threat
What was the government’s policy to counter the ‘Total Onslaught’ called?
Total Strategy
List the components of ‘Total Strategy’ used by PW Botha’s government.
- Military
- Secret police
- Police
- Legislation
- Economy
- Propaganda
- Education
- Censorship
What was established by a police counter-intelligence unit in 1979?
A secret base at Vlakplaas
What kinds of actions were carried out at the Vlakplaas secret base?
Killings and torture for intelligence information
How did the military become involved in Africa under PW Botha?
By assisting anti-communist forces, e.g., UNITA in Angola
What was the duration of ‘Total Strategy’?
1978 to 1989
True or False: The oppressive NP regime was weakened during PW Botha’s leadership.
False
Fill in the blank: The oppressive actions of the NP regime included ______, torture, imprisonment, and assassination.
Detention
What was the primary stance of the majority of Black people in South Africa regarding apartheid?
They continued to be against the repressive apartheid system.
Black people were a crucial part of the economic labor force.
Why did South Africa’s economic growth rely on hiring more Black workers?
Black people were an important part of South Africa’s labor force.
Their involvement was essential for economic development.
What action were Black people taking in response to the Pass Laws?
They were ignoring the Pass Laws and moving to the cities.
This was due to better job opportunities in the cities.
What was the effect of Black dissatisfaction on the government?
The government had to take Black dissatisfaction seriously to maintain order in cities.
This was crucial for preventing unrest.
Who was a prominent white opposition member of parliament advocating for the abolition of apartheid?
Helen Suzman of the Progressive Federal Party (PFP).
She played a significant role in challenging apartheid policies.
What was the position of the conservative members of the NP regarding apartheid reform?
They were totally against reforming the apartheid system.
Their stance was influenced by the Dutch Reformed Church.
What role did the Dutch Reformed Church play in supporting apartheid?
It supported apartheid, viewing it as justified by the Christian Bible.
This religious backing helped legitimize apartheid.
What was the Afrikaner Broederbond?
An influential secret society aimed at advancing the interests of the Afrikaans ethnic group.
It sought to maintain apartheid.
What strategy did PW Botha employ regarding apartheid?
He introduced a two-pronged strategy of limited reforms and increased repression.
This approach aimed to appease both reformists and conservatives.
What was PW Botha’s nickname and what does it mean?
‘Die Groot Krokodil’ which means ‘The Big Crocodile’ in Afrikaans.
This nickname reflected his authoritarian leadership style.