Botha's reforms Flashcards
total onslaught, total stratedgy (part 4, part 2)
context to Botha’s reforms
Needed to provide a better image of south africa to the world – they were suffering economically to some level
–>Designed to convince foreigners that south africa was democratic
Ended some forms of petty apartheid, but despite this the people still did not have any additional political power
he still intended to keep the core of segregation and apartheid
(added) reforms
Tricameral Parliament – allowed 3 racial group to (in theory) have a say in the government, but in reality, they were not able to make much of a significant impact
Trade unions – they were granted more rights, and black workers were allowed to join them
Botha also developed a more repressive/new security system along with these reforms – shows how he views the ‘threat’ of the south africans
(abolished) reforms
1985 – mixed marriages act was repealed
1986 – pass laws were abolished
More tolerance for mixed facilities (eg. Movie theatres), more government spending on black education
–> removal of some petty apartheid policies
Consequences of Reforms (NP + Black Africans)
NP lost significant support among the white community – many could tell that his reforms were only about image rather than substance
South Africans – botha’s reforms were only significant on a surface level, and there was no real/significant change. There was no real political power that was gained
Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (why they were set up)
AWB (set up 1976) resistance group against Botha’s reforms (Afrikaner):
Whites were scared of losing their jobs, status, and to some extent hteir lives
People argued that these limited reforms further enabled coloured people to fight for their own rights, Black Power where whites had no rights
AWB Led by Eugene TerraBlanche, convinced white extremists to join him (those who feared the dismantling of apartheid)
Activities and Aims of AWB
Saw ANC as a communist organization (attacking them)
Used neo-Nazi style marches (similar to the Nazi marches) and rallies, with a symbol remniscent of Hitler’s
Disrupted National Party meetings
Resorted to violence and murder
Targeted poor whites (that were suffereing bc of these new policies?) to increase support for his ideaology/group
state of Emergency
started July 1985 - Declared because of the ‘communist attack’ from outside and within (more of a cover-up)
Ungovernable nature of townships because of Black Nationalist agitators (activiists)
He knew that state of emergency would lalow censorship of newspapers, television, radio = restrict flow of information and help Apartheid regime to micromanage, reduce negative international press
Squatter Camp violence
Pass law relaxation (total stratedgy) = poeple were able to go outside, develop large squatter camps
Security forces surrounded townships, went into schools and arrested teenage activists
8000 troops deployed, 30,000 arrests made
–>They were able to arrest without warrants and were held indefinetely, may not have been given a trial
thousands of people left homeless
Demonstrations to comemorate sharpeville
Langa Massacre
25th anniversary of Sharpeville – demonstration occured in eastern cape
Sotuh African Police opened fire, 35 people killed
ANC and Inkatha rivalry
Due to Buthelezi – he was afraid of losing his own power in this struggle,
He was the chief minister of KwaZulu Bantusan (allocated by government!)
Buthelezi created a powerful group of Inkatha people who had their own government and police forces, and also had an extremely high salary (almost 10x of average) and political influence
Buthelezi initially was opposed to apartheid (with ANC), but later moved to help the government and collaborated with South African Defense Force
Their ‘clash’ led to 12,000 deaths (ANC supporters and Inkatha), and many feared it would go on to become civil war
Ended when Mandela was released and Buthelezi eventually joined Mandela’s unified government
Buthelezi also served as minister for home affairs (ranking position)
Black on Black violence
ANC members were mostly from the Xhosa tribe, and Inkatha, whose members were Zulus.
international boycotts
Sports boycotts, cultural boycotts
Resented by the whites – white south africans loved sport and wanted to prove their ability/win medals and trophies
Somewhat significant, added to the frustration of the whites over international exclusion
The arms embargo (not selling to SA, boycott on the sale)
- Started by UN regime used brutality to crush soweto uprising
- Botha’s plan in ‘Total Stratedgy’ to invade Angola/Mozambique failed – defense forces in Angola were defeated by Cuban troops
International impact on government (Botha)
Economic sanctions, Widened by EC and USA. Rand devaluation, withdrawal of foreign businesses and investment.
However their impact was limited (until 1980s)
Attitude against South Africa in the west harshened, congress overruled the presidential veto on sanctions on South Africa (USA)
US companies and banks withdrew invenestment
Economic crisis in SA, forced the regime to negotiate over time
lack of UK sanctions
Debate within international community about the efficacy of sanctions – UK continued to oppose sanctions.
March up to trafalgar square with over 300,000 people
- Margaret thatcher believed that sanctions in the UK would not be helpful and would not have any effect on the workign class of South Africa
