Apartheid - Resistance

Question 1

Creation of Bantustans

Answer 1

1959: Verwoerd enacted the Promotion of Bantu Self- Government Act.

More than 80% of South Africa’s land was set aside for white South Africans, despite them making up only less than 10% of the total population.

The Bantustans were in parts of the country that were of no use to white South Africa, and very little money on them in terms of facilities, infrastructure or education.

Question 2

About the ANC

Answer 2

Formed 1912 with aim for uniting all South Africans in equality

Aimed for an inter racial society

Non violence inspired by Gandhi in India

Membership of 100000 by 1952

Non violent in origins but by 1952 a militant wing emerged - the Umkhonto We Sizwe aka MK aka Spear of the nation. Led by Mandela.

Question 3

ANC Collaboration

Answer 3

The Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) during the early 1940s and 1950s organised most resistance to apartheid (labour strikes etc.) and was led mostly by white communists.

The banning of the Communist Party in 1950 made organising protests exceptionally
→ went underground

South African Indian Congress 1919 → signed an alliance with the ANC in 1947 (Three Doctors Pact)

Congress of Democrats 1952 (white based organisation)

As movement was restricted (Pass Act) communication between these groups was often difficult

Question 4

Issues with the ANC

Answer 4

By the late 1930s the ANC seemed to be failing
Reason = focus on middle class unwilling to engage in mass demonstrations

Slow pace of change

In 1944 the ANC changed its approach to mass protest by the creation of the ANC Youth League

Question 5

ANC Youth

Answer 5

Members: Anton Lembede, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu

Defiance Campaign became the official name in 1952, and the objective was to politely and deliberately break apartheid laws such as curfews and Pass Laws.

Success: Not effective as harsh govt. oppression resulted. Thousands of peaceful protesters were jailed or fined heavily.

Question 6

Congress Alliance formed

Answer 6

Including ANC, SA Council of Trade Unions, SA Indian Congress and the Coloured Peoples’ Association

Membership of the ANC did increase from 4000 to 10,000

Question 7

The end results ANC mass protest

Answer 7

8500 arrested in 6 months of the campaign

Ended in 1953 - further laws passed by the govt to restrict organisation

1953 - Public Safety Act - govt. to implement a state of emergency for 12 months

Criminal Law Amendment Act 1953 - anyone accompanying a person found guilty will automatically be assumed guilty

Question 8

Freedom Charter
- Purpose
- About
- Organisations involved

Answer 8

1955
Members travelled the country and collected demands of all ordinary Africans for a ‘just and free society’.

Freedom Charter was a statement of Alliance’s principles and political aims, inspired by similar documents from the USA, Britain and Europe.

Over 200 organisations were involved

Question 9

Events related to Freedom Charter

Answer 9

3000 delegates met on 25-26 June near Soweto in a Congress of the People

Main point of discussion was a new future based on charter and a non racial society with no group assuming to have special privileges.

The next year 156 leaders arrested including Mandela, Tambo, Luthuli and Sisulu - leaders of resistance restricted

Question 10

Freedom charter
- Number of people involved
- Censorship laws

Answer 10

2300 blacks
320 Indians
230 Coloured
112 Whites
were involved

Censorship Acts of 1955 and 1956 - censored any criticism in reports and literature that were being imported in SA

Question 11

Freedom Charter quotes

Answer 11

We, the People of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:

All National Groups Shall have Equal Rights!

The Land Shall be Shared Among Those Who Work It!

Question 12

Consequence of the Freedom Charter

Answer 12

Treason Trial Dec 1956

5 years the case dragged on

New laws that would incite hostility between blacks and whites - Riotous Assembly Act

Defiance Campaign- Suppression of Communisn Act 1950

Question 13

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Answer 13

Paramilitary body of the ANC formed 1961

Mandela as commander in chief

Considered a terrorist organisation by the government and media.

From 1961 → over 18 months, 200 attacks took place

Question 14

Quote regarding the purpose of Spear of the Nations

Answer 14

Mandela:

“The time has come in the life of any nation when there remains only two choices: submit or fight.”

Question 15

Law implemented after Sharpeville sparked by an individual

Answer 15

Robert Sobukwe 1959- broke away from ANC

Jailed for 3 years due to involvement in Sharpeville

Govt - brought General Law Amendment Act- detain anyone for 90 days without trial

Sobukwe- was 1st person to receive this then detained after Robben Island after 6 years

Died in house arrest aged 54 in 1978

Question 16

About PAC

Answer 16

1959 led by Robert Sobukwe
Pan Africanists Congress (PAC).

PAC drew much of its support from areas such a SOWETO and other black areas around Cape Town, notably Langa where the ANC was not influential. The PAC argued that it differed radically in its conception of the struggle against apartheid.

Question 17

Youth League and Programme of Action
- Who
- Result

Answer 17

The Transvaal ANC joined the Indian Congress and the
ANC, Indian Congress and the Communist Party organised a general strike for 1st May 1950.
- Police killed 18 African demonstrators at Orlando West during the strike

Question 18

Defiance Campaign
- About
- Punishment
- Membership

Answer 18

In 1951 the ANC and the Indian Congress organised members to break the apartheid laws and to provoke the police to arrest them.
- Followed Mahatma Gandhi

Defiance could lead to a whipping as well as to fines and imprisonment.
= Protest leaders could potentially be sent to jail for up to 3 years, rather than a month or two.

By the end of 1952 the campaign had run out of steam, but the ANC’s membership had risen from 7,000 to 100,000

Drafted the Freedom Charter

Question 19

Freedom Charter
- Where
- Stats on participation
- Phrases

Answer 19

Congress was held at Kliptown near Johannesburg on 26 June 1955
= Over 200 organisations were involved.

Despite police road blocks, nearly 3000 people (112 Whites and 2300 Africans) were there to listen to the Freedom Charter read to them in English, Sesotho and Xhosa.

“Land to be given to all landless people”
“Living wages and shorter hours of work”

Question 20

Anti-pass demonstrations
- Aim
- Nature
- Protest of women
- Laws

Answer 20

Overwhelm the system by protesting in masses
- Non-violent but turned violent in Sharpeville

1956 govt announced women had to carry passes.
- 1955, 2,000 women protested in Pretoria.
- 1956, 20,000 women of all races took a petition to the PM

1953 Public Safety Act - govt. to implement a state of emergency for 12 months

Criminal Law Amendment Act 1953 - anyone accompanying a person found guilty will automatically be assumed guilty

Question 21

Bus Boycott
- Laws
- Example of boycott
- Result

Answer 21

Group Areas Act (1950) + Native Resettlement Act (1954)

1957 Alexandra Bus Boycott
- Workers from Johannesburg and Pretoria townships began a boycott of PUTCO, due to the company increasing fares by 25%
- 3-month period 70,000 workers joined the action.

• When the bus company agreed to scrap the increase in fares the Evaton boycott ended.
  = PUTCO was forced to rescind the increase in the bus fare

Question 22

Sharpeville Massacre
- Number of protesters
- Date, location
- Plan
- Death

Answer 22

7000 - 20 000

21 March 1960 PAC leader Robert Sobukwe from Soweto to Orlando police station.

Plan was for a large group of Africans to march on Sharpeville police station and burn their passes.
- Too many arrests and pass system unworkable.

69 people were shot and killed by police and 180 wounded + PAC leaders are arrested, while ANC leaders such as Mandela flee overseas.

Question 23

Significance of Sharpeville

Answer 23

On 30 March 1960 the government declared a state of emergency, detaining more than 18,000 people.

Robert Sobukwe was imprisoned on Robben Island, where he was to be kept until 1969.
- Deemed a major threat, the apartheid government created the ‘Sobukwe Clause,’ which allowed for the specific and indefinite detention of Robert Sobukwe without trial.

Trouble erupted in Cape Town when Phillip Kgosana, the local PAC leader led 30,000 protesters to the House of Parliament in Cape Town to protest police violence.

Question 24

Law that banned ANC and PAC

Answer 24

Unlawful Organisations Act (8 April, 1960)

Question 25

Economic impact of Sharpeville Massacre

Answer 25

Next 18 months
- 248 million Rand left SA

Gold and foreign reserves plummeted from 351 million Rand to 142 million Rand

But not a long term impact due to economic boom

Question 26

International reaction Sharpeville Massacre

Answer 26

United Nations passed a resolution (No 134) regarding Sharpeville.

Opposition to the apartheid regime by African and Asian members of the Commonwealth stimulated South Africa’s decision to leave the Commonwealth.

Sportsmen and entertainers began to boycott South Africa.

Question 27

Govt response to resistance for Sharpeville
- March
- Verwoerd
- Arrest
- ANC + PAC response

Answer 27

Marches and work stoppages by black workers occurred throughout 1960.
- March by 30 000 Africans on parliament.
- The Verwoerd government declared a state of emergency.
- 18 000 demonstrators, including ANC and PAC leaders were arrested
- PAC and ANC banned

The ANC and the PAC were forced to go underground
Established military wings: ‘the spear of the nation’ (MK) for the ANC, and Pogo (pure) for the PAC.
Between December 1961 and July 1963, the MK carried out over 200 acts of sabotage against government installations.

Question 28

Significance of Mandela’s background

Answer 28

Mandela’s family background had a profound influence on his later leadership of the ANC. In particular, having a grandfather who had been a King and Jongintaba as a patron and guardian.

His education, only attainable by a small percentage of black South Africans, was equally important to his final prominence.

Question 29

Mandela as the lawyer

Answer 29

Walter Sisulu, an estate agent employed Mandela as a law clerk.
- Sisulu was a member of the African National Congress and influenced Mandela greatly. He joined the ANC in 1942.

Mandela and Oliver Tambo, in 1952, opened the first black legal service, providing free or low-cost legal counsel for many blacks who would otherwise have been without legal representation.

His initial non violent anti apartheid strategy has its origin in his time as a lawyer.

Question 30

Manedla and the ANC

Answer 30

Joined the ANC in 1942

1950
Johannesburg led to the deaths of 18 people
Manedla and the National Executive called for a ‘Day of Action’ for 26th June

1952
Following Defiance Campaign, Mandela and 19 other charged under the Suppression of Communism Act
Sentenced to 9 months of hard labour, suspended for 2 years

1953
Government-issued a Banning Order against Mandela, which would be renewed each year until 1961

1957-61
After the Freedom Charter, the government arrested over 150 black activists, including Mandela

1961
Mandela and the others were finally acquitted on 29th March
Mandela spoke at the All-in-Africa Conference in Pietermaritzburg before the end of his trial

Question 31

Rivonia Trial
- Who
- Charge
- Statement

Answer 31

9 October 1963 and 12 June 1964
- Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel ‘Rusty’ Bernstein, Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni

Capital crimes of sabotage (which Mandela admitted) and a conspiracy to help other countries invade South Africa, which Mandela denied.

Mandela’s statement described how the ANC had used peaceful means to resist apartheid for years until the Sharpeville Massacre.

Question 32

International impact Rivonia
- Magazine
- Law
- Domestic impact

Answer 32

Drum Magazine – “Outstanding and brilliant men like Mandela should be playing an active role ”

General Law Amendment- 1962 Sabotage Act. It widened the definition of sabotage to include strikes, trade union activity, and writing slogans on walls. The maximum penalty for sabotage was hanging and the minimum five years’ imprisonment.

Domestic impact of Rivonia
- Short term - government succeeded in breaking ANC and MK
- Late 1960s/early 70s establishes bases in neighbouring countries e.g. Tanzania and Mozambique
- Morogoro Conference -1969, ANC opens up membership to all races and reorganizes management structure

Question 33

Black Consciousness Movement
- Strike
- Member

Answer 33

Early 1960s- only a few thousand black workers had been involved in strike action

During first 3 months of 1973- there were tens of thousands involved in over 160 strikes:

Question 34

Steve Biko and SASO
- Cause
- Origin
- What he wrote
- Strike

Answer 34

Late 1960s- African university students were increasingly unhappy with their circumstances. White students were receiving all the benefits of apartheid.

July 1970- First General Students Council of SASO was held. Barney Pityana was elected president
- Steve Biko became Chair of SASO publications

He used the pseudonym Frank Talk under the heading ‘I write what I like’
- Aug/Sept 1970- he wrote an article called ‘Black Souls in White Skins’

1972- SASO organised university campus strikes. 600 students were arrested

Question 35

Steve Biko and the Black People’s Convention (BPC)
- Origin
- Who
- When
- Purpose

Answer 35

Early 1970s- SASO leaders were beginning to realise that organisations confined to students were of limited effectiveness
- Hence the development of the Black People’s Convention

Biko approached Coloured and Indian groups in order to consult with other members of the black community

After meetings- BPC was launched and its first national conference at Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria in December 1972

BPC’s aim was to unite all SA Blacks into a political movement that would pursue their liberation and free the people from “both psychological and physical oppression”

Question 36

Steve Biko’s BCM
- What he opposed to
- Intention
- Ban
- Arrest
- Murder

Answer 36

Violent policies of practised by the ANC and PAC from the early 1960s

He wanted black people to see the value of their traditional outlook, their traditional institutions and to understand their worth as people

1973- Biko was banned and later arrested for ‘encouraging terrorism’ and organising pro- Frelimo rallies

1975- the govt banned SASO on all black campuses

1975- Biko arrested and detained for 137 days without charge. Biko was arrested 4 times and detained each time for several months without a trial.

12 Sept 1977 - he died from arain haemorrhage

1997- 5 former officers confessed to killing Biko

Question 37

Impact of Biko’s death
- International reaction
- Illegal
- Arrest
- Banishment

Answer 37

SA govt was condemned by the United Nations and US Congress

Oct 1977- 18 black organisation were declared illegal

70 African leaders were arrested

Dr Ramphele (activist against apartheid) was banished to the northern Transvaal and her clinic and other projects were closed down

Question 38

Biko and Donald Woods
- Role
- Film

Answer 38

1965- became editor of the East London Daily Dispatch. Critiqued Aparthied

The film “Cry Freedom” tells the story of the relationship of Biko and Woods- in 1978 Woods wrote a biography of Biko