Revolt in Townships 1984-87
United Democratic Front
New Constitution
Protest Strategies
Communal Violence
Govt Reaction
When and what
-August 1983
-575 organisations founded the United Democratic Front (UDF)
Aims
-co-ordinate internal opposition
-ultimate goal was a new SA govt based on the views in the Freedom Charter
-sought the abandonment of Bantustans, where many of UDF's activities took place
-can be seen as the internal wing of the ANC
Protest Strategies
-support may have been as high as 2 million
-responding to Oliver Tambo's want of making SA ungovernable
-supported by the Congress of SA Trade Unions (COSATU)
-strikes increased
-by 1986 there were 1 million days lost
-by 1987 there were 6 million days lost
-organised marches, protests and demonstrations throughout SA
-local groups protested against poor housing
-1983 and 1984, campaigned to get a million signatures for a mass petition against the new constitution and black local govt
Youth
-saw themselves as 'comrades' to help the armed struggle of the ANC
-most of young men involved in direct action now identified with the ANC as a legitimate liberation movement
COSAS
-Congress of SA Students created in 1979
-organised frequent school strikes and boycotts
-signed with UDF and became its largest national partner
-1984-85 called for a renewed school boycott
UDF
-organised marches, protests and demonstrations throughout SA
-supported COSATU
-campaigned to collect a million signatures for a mass petition against new constitution
-1987, UDF was banned but activities continued due to no central organisation for security forces to target
ANC
-1980s saw mass rallies and protests
-ANC banners, speeches and widespread use of ANC anthem
-1985, called for a peoples war
-made systematic attempts to send MK cadres into SA
-1985 record amount of MK cadres came into SA
-137 MK attacks
Tricameral Parliament
-new structure of parliament
-4.7 million whites had 178 MPs
-2.6 million coloured people had 85 MPs
-1.2 million Indians had 45 MPs
-in joint decisions, white members could over ride the other 2 groups
-20.5 million black Africans could only elect local councils
-Africans not represented at all
Aim to Preserve White Power
-Botha wanted to maintain white supremacy
-'divide and rule', by including Indian and coloured SA's in political process, they could be separated from black Africans
-armed forces recruited more non-white SA's
Reform
-petty apartheid rules abolished
-pass laws, Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 was repealed in 1985
-African trade unions were recognised
Response
-few Indians and coloured's voted
-Africans continued revolts in townships
-less than 12% of black Africans voted in elections
-13% of Indians voted
-18% of coloureds voted
Inkartha Freedom Party 1990
What was it
-founded by chief of Zulu people
-1.5 million members (all Zulu)
-
Beliefs
-opposed apartheid but supported its reform
-supported capitalism
-condemned the use of violence
-opposed economic sanctions
-hostile to radical protests
-opposed the ANC
-wanted an independent Zulu homeland
Violence
-relationship between the ANC and IFP became hostile
-1980s and 1990s the ANC and IFP had many bloody clashes
-Zulu vs non-Zulu
-IFP supported the govt reforms so were often assisted the security forces in their attacks on alleged ANC supporters
-necklacing punishment on ANC members, setting victims on fire by enveloping them in petrol-soaked tires
Alexandra Revolt 1986
Vaal Uprising 1984
Events
-September 1984
-led by students, trade unions and civic organisations
-stayaway from work, school boycotts and march
-marchers looted shops, set fire to houses, killed 4 councillors
-30 people died due to clashes with police
-wanted to take anger out on Vaal concillors who they believed had betrayed the community
-end of the year, 150 died
-sept 1985, 600 people killed
Consequences
-1985 govt declared a state of emergency
-this type of violence became popular with opposition
-new generation of younger more radical rebels
-3 township councillors killed
Causes
-Vaal residents dissatisfied over rent increases
-govt failing to reform
-raise in tariffs on essential items
-tricameral parliament began
Causes
-1986, triggered when youth activist was shot by a security guard
-densely populated
-centre of rebellion
-tensions were high in 1986
-wanted to make Alexandra ungovernable
Events
-mass night protest February 1986, set fire to shops, stoned cars, burnt down houses
-stabbed police officer
-funeral of activist killed led to crowds of 6,000
-police tear gassed the crowd, 27 killed
-those who broke consumer boycotts or who did not join in were also greeted with violence
-40,000 in rally at the sport stadium
-army sealed the township off, 27 killed
Importance
-showed the longetivity of protests
-did not end after the violence
-youths continued to fight against apartheid
-scared the govt as it was a peoples war, not led by the ANC or UDF
Govt Suppression
-NP still had power to repress black political protest
-police increased from 5,000 to 94,000
-1994 police force almost 140,000 people
-mass arrests, banning orders
-kidnapping, interrogation using torture and death
-tried to turn opposition into informants against the ANC
-used vigilantes (not police but people who punished criminals themselves), responsible for 90% of deaths related to deaths
Military Policy
-destroy the ANC and other anti-apartheid group bases internally and abroad
-wanted to destabilise radical regimes
-stop countries supporting anti-apartheid groups
Violence
-govt responded brutally
-in Alexandra, the govt sent in the army
-houses of activists burnt down
-house to house searches arresting anyone suspected of resistance
-1986, 500 black Americans shot dead
-40 assassinations
-raids in neighbouring countries
-Botha created the State Security Council, arranged assassinations
-assassinated anti-apartheid activists
State of Emergency
-June 1985
-troops sent into townships, armoured vehicles and preparation to use weapons
-re-establish internal control
-more arrests than ever before
-funerals resitrcted, curfews, indoor gatherings banned, banning of news and TV reports in areas of political unrest
-prevented national and international news coverage of police brutality
-wanted to hide govt's unsuccess of containing unrest
-26,000 detained
-leaders of Alexandra revolt arrested