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Africa - Apartheid to Democracy

Africa - Apartheid to Democracy

Section titled “Africa - Apartheid to Democracy”

2020-04-27 15:41 :33

Formation of SA

Section titled “Formation of SA”
  • Dutch first to come aka Boer/farmers used slave labour
  • B came in 1795 emancipated slaves, Dutch moved south estd Transvaal and Orange Free State
  • Boer Wars - BR defeated them and joined Cape Colony and Natal to form Union of SA
  • 70% pop were Africans aka Bantus, 18% Whites
  • Whites dominated politics and econ life
  • Black people -> manual work in factories, gold mines, had reserved areas, forbidden to buy land outside reserved area.
  • Pass laws : live in towns only if working in white owned business, cannot switch jobs until employer signs.
  • Primitive living conditions
  • Forbidden to strike

Dr Malan Introduced Apartheid

Section titled “Dr Malan Introduced Apartheid”
  • After WW2 tightened control over blacks
  • IN gained independence alarmed SA of growing racial equality
  • Most Whites esp Dutch against racial equality, Afrikaner Nationalist Party head Dr Malan - master race
  • Won 1948 election to rescue whites from black menace

Apartheid Further Dev Features

Section titled “Apartheid Further Dev Features”
  • Complete separation of B + W, separate townships in urban ar, diff busses, Coaches, trains, cafes, toilets etc, inferior education
  • Racial classification identity cards, pass laws
  • Inter-racial marriage, sexual relations forbidden
  • Bantu Self Govt act set up Bantustans covered only 13% of total area, cramped
  • Africans lost all political rights, representation in parliament

Opposition to Apartheid

Section titled “Opposition to Apartheid”
  • Anyone who objected or broke laws branded communist and severely punished
  • Luthuli of ANC org protests in 1952 by entering shops etc
  • 1955 ANC open air meeting announced freedom charter w/ equality before law, freedom of assembly, movt, speech etc
  • Church leaders, Missionaries against aparth
  • 1957 bus boycott by ANC to reduce fairs
  • Sharpeville Massacre police fired against demonstrators 1960
  • 1961 Mandela arrested
  • Discontent against use of Afrikaans in schools many killed
  • Commonwealth opposed Apar, SA withdrew from mem in 1961
  • UN and Org of African Unity OAU condemned apartheid

End of Apartheid

Section titled “End of Apartheid”
  • PW Botha dropped unpopular aspects because of outside criticism UN Commonwealth, Angola Mozambique Zimbabwe gained independence, Economic problemsWhites began to migrate elsewhere, African homelands was failure, US civil rights
  • Blacks were allowed to join trade unions 1979, elect their own local township councils 1981, new consti 1984, parliament for coloureds and Asians, inter racial sexual relations allowed 1985, pass laws for non-whites abolished
  • Mounting pressure - sanctions by BR, US stopped loans, middle class grew among Black, Dutch Reformed Church condemned Apartheid
  • De Klerk
    • Released Nelson Mandela ANC made legal
    • Remaining apartheid dropped
    • Namibia given inde
    • Talks in 1991 for new consti
  • 1993 power sharing worked

Timeline

Section titled “Timeline”
[line-3, body-2]


+ </br> 1948
+ The National Party (NP) comes to power in South Africa, instituting a policy of racial segregation known as apartheid.
+


+1960:
+The African National Congress (ANC) organizes a peaceful protest against apartheid in Sharpeville, which is violently suppressed by police.
+


+1962:
+Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the ANC’s anti-apartheid activities.
+


+1976:
+A student-led uprising in Soweto protests the use of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools.
+


+1985:
+The South African government declares a state of emergency in response to anti-apartheid protests.
+


+1989:
+F.W. de Klerk is elected president of South Africa and begins to dismantle apartheid.
+


+1991:
+The government repeals the Population Registration Act, which classified citizens by race.
+


+1993:
+The ANC and the NP sign the historic “Record of Understanding” which commits both parties to negotiations.
+


+1994:
+South Africa holds its first democratic elections, with Nelson Mandela elected as president.
+


+1996:
+The South African government repeals the last of its racial segregation laws.
+


+1997:
+The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is established to investigate human rights abuses during the apartheid era.
+


+1998:
+The South African government adopts a new constitution that guarantees equal rights to all citizens regardless of race.
+


+2003:
+The last of the apartheid-era laws are repealed, officially ending the system of racial segregation in South Africa.
+

PYQs

Section titled “PYQs”

AfricaApartheid to Democracy

  1. Give a brief account of the struggle against ‘Apartheid’ in South Africa. [2006, 60 Marks]

Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that existed in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The word apartheid is an Afrikaans word that literally means “apartness.” It was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the National Party governments, who were the ruling party from 1948 to 1994.

The struggle against apartheid was a long and difficult one, with many different groups and individuals contributing to the struggle. The African National Congress (ANC) was the most prominent organization leading the struggle against apartheid. Founded in 1912, the ANC was a political party that advocated for the rights of black South Africans. The ANC used a variety of tactics, including peaceful protests and civil disobedience, to fight for civil rights and equality for black South Africans.

The ANC was banned in 1960, but the struggle against apartheid continued. In the 1970s and 1980s, anti-apartheid organizations such as the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) emerged to continue the struggle. The UDF organized mass protests, strikes, and boycotts, while the SACP provided an ideological framework for the struggle.

In 1985, the South African government declared a state of emergency in response to the increasing unrest. This led to mass arrests and the banning of many anti-apartheid organizations. However, the struggle continued and in 1990, the government lifted the ban on the ANC and began negotiations with the organization.

In 1994, the first democratic elections were held in South Africa and the ANC was elected to power. Nelson Mandela, the leader of the ANC, was elected as the first President of a democratic South Africa.

“The struggle for freedom and democracy has been won. Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” – Nelson Mandela, 1994

In 1996, the South African government adopted a new constitution that abolished the system of apartheid and granted equal rights to all citizens.

Since then, South Africa has made great strides towards healing the wounds of apartheid and creating a more equitable society. While inequality and poverty still exist in South Africa, the country has made significant progress in improving the lives of its citizens.

Sources:

  1. Hermann Giliomee described apartheid as “a system of racial segregation that was enforced by a series of laws and regulations designed to restrict the rights of the majority of South Africans, and to keep the white minority in power” (Giliomee, 2003).

  2. Stephen Ellis argued that apartheid was “a form of racial discrimination that was enforced by a series of laws and regulations designed to ensure the political, economic, and social domination of the white minority over the black majority” (Ellis, 1996).

  3. “There must be an end to white monopoly on political power, and a fundamental restructuring of our political and economic systems to ensure that the inequalities of apartheid are addressed, and our society thoroughly democratized.” Discuss. [2013, 25 Marks]

The end of white monopoly on political power is a key step towards the full democratization of South Africa. As Nelson Mandela said: “It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

The legacy of apartheid is still evident in South Africa today and the country needs to take steps to address the structural inequalities that remain. This includes a fundamental restructuring of the political and economic systems, with a focus on creating opportunities for all South Africans regardless of race, gender, or class.

The government has taken some steps towards this goal, such as the National Development Plan, which aims to reduce poverty and inequality. However, more needs to be done to ensure that all South Africans have access to the same opportunities. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “It is not enough to remove the structures of apartheid; we must build a new society, a society based on justice and equality for all.”

The end of white monopoly on political power is an important step towards achieving this goal. It is essential that all South Africans have a say in the decisions that affect their lives and that the government works to ensure that everyone has equal access to resources and opportunities. Only then can we build a truly democratic South Africa.

  1. Explain the features of Apartheid in South Africa. [2018, 10 Marks]

  2. Segregation: Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the South African government in 1948. This system divided people into four racial groups: White, Black, Indian, and Coloured. Each racial group was assigned to a specific area and prohibited from living in other areas.

  3. Political Repression: Apartheid was a system of political repression that denied non-white South Africans the right to vote, hold public office, or participate in the political process.

  4. Pass Laws: Apartheid also included the infamous pass laws, which required non-white South Africans to carry identification documents at all times. These laws were used to restrict the movement of non-white people and limit their access to certain areas.

  5. Forced Removals: The South African government also used forced removals to move non-white people out of certain areas and into segregated townships. This was done in order to make way for white development and to further isolate non-white people.

  6. Denial of Rights: Apartheid denied non-white South Africans the right to own land, the right to an education, and the right to basic services such as healthcare.

  7. Censorship: Apartheid also included censorship of the press and media. This was done in order to control what information was available to the public.

  8. Bantustans: The South African government created Bantustans, or “homelands”, for black South Africans. These were areas of land where black people were expected to live and work.

  9. Separate Amenities: Apartheid also included separate amenities for white and non-white people. This included separate beaches, parks, buses, schools, and other public facilities.

  10. Group Areas Act: The Group Areas Act was a law that restricted where different racial groups could live. This act was used to further segregate non-white South Africans and limit their access to resources.

  11. Grand Apartheid: Grand Apartheid was the final phase of Apartheid, which was implemented in the 1980s. This phase included the introduction of the “influx control” system, which was used to control the movement of non-white South Africans.