Anti-Apartheid Movement History of South Africa

African National Congress Founded in 1912 to increase the rights of black South Africans Alligned with socialism to bring equality of opportunity to all Formed a militant wing in 1962 – Umkhonto we Sizwe translated "Spear of the Nation”

Sharpeville Massacre After a day of peaceful protest by black Africans the SA police opened fire on the crowd – killing nearly 100 International response was immediate Marked turning point as SA became more isolated by other countries

Anti – Apartheid Leaders Stephen Biko – Founded Black Consciousness Movement – Organized Soweto uprising – Banned from internal travel in SA – Arrested August 1977 – Dead from police brutality – No police charged

Nelson Mandela – Influenced by tactics of Gandhi – Led ANC’s armed wing – Guerilla war vs. gov’t of SA – Arrested in 1962 and imprisoned on Robben Island for 27 years – Freed in 1990 – SA’s 1 st black president in 1994 Anti – Apartheid Leaders

Soweto Uprising Student protests against Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974 – All black schools teach in Afrikaans or English Police barricade route & shots fired More students join protest More police sent to crush riots 600 students killed!

Government Response All African political parties banned State-sponsored terrorism against “underground” liberation movements

Bishop Desmond Tutu – Supported economic boycott of SA – “suffering with a purpose” – Relatively free from gov’t persecution due to religious role and international fame – Preached reconciliation post-apartheid Anti – Apartheid Leaders

International Pressure Economic Embargo – We are not asking you, the British people, for anything special. We are just asking you to withdraw your support from apartheid by not buying South African goods.

Divesting Movement Boycotts of products whose corporations had economic ties/investment in South Africa Led by university students across the U.S. Spread to general population Included products like Coca-Cola, General Motors,

International Pressure Diplomatic Sanctions – Pressure to remove South Africa from British Commonwealth in 1961 – UN Resolution 1761 in 1962 – Academic Boycott in 1965 Called for nations to issue diplomatic and economic sanctions as long as apartheid exists – All Western countries refused to join boycott

World Attention…

International Pressure Sports Isolation

Elimination of Apartheid Laws Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act (eliminated in 1985) Abolition of Pass Laws (1986) Group Areas & Population Registration Acts, the backbone of social apartheid (1991) Widespread elimination of “petty apartheid” (strict separation of facilities)

Nelson Mandela votes April, 1994

April, 1994 Nelson Mandela celebrates after winning the Presidency in South Africa’s first democratic election

The Official End of Apartheid : free and fair local elections held – Widely appealing legitimate branches of government formed May 8, 1996: The South African Constitution adopted – (was signed by President Mandela on International Human Rights Day)

However, The legacy of Apartheid continues to have a powerful influence on South Africa Regardless of current discrimination, the system put into place continues to propagate inequality along racial lines Affirmative action is utilized But it will take time

Truth & Reconciliation Commission Created by Nelson Mandela & Bishop Tutu for SA to come to terms with apartheid Witnesses who were identified as victims of human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences. Findings left mixed feelings among races

World Cup Soccer Selected from among 5 other African nations Built 5 new stadiums at a cost of $1 billion Financially a bad decision for SA – Local vendors kept out – Local fans can’t afford Vuvuzelas!

AIDS Epidemic 10.8 percent of South Africans over the age of 2, are now living with HIV/AIDS.

Today…. Growing economy & standard of living Problems with reverse discrimination Poverty levels still very high 11 official languages Incredibly high crime rate AIDS epidemic