civil resistance in SA 1970s-1980s
In South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s, there was a significant civil resistance movement against the apartheid government. This movement consisted of various organizations, individuals, and popular protest activities aimed at challenging and dismantling the apartheid regime's discriminatory policies and practices. The civil resistance during this period played a crucial role in mobilizing people, raising international awareness, and eventually bringing an end to apartheid in the early 1990s.
1. United Democratic Front (UDF): The UDF was formed in 1983 as a broad-based anti-apartheid coalition. It united various organizations, including trade unions, student groups, religious bodies, and political parties, to resist apartheid. The UDF utilized nonviolent protests, boycotts, strikes, and demonstrations to challenge the apartheid government.
2. Mass protests: The 1970s and 1980s saw a surge in mass protests and demonstrations. Soweto Uprising in 1976, sparked by the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in schools, was a significant turning point. Protests spread across the country, leading to widespread rebellion against apartheid policies.
3. Consumer boycotts: Communities organized consumer boycotts to undermine the apartheid government's economic power. By boycotting products from companies supporting apartheid or products that were inaccessible due to racially discriminatory laws, people sent a powerful message of resistance.
4. Trade unions: Trade unions played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid resistance. They organized strikes, boycotts, and work stoppages to demand workers' rights, fair wages, and to challenge the racial segregation enforced by apartheid labor laws.
5. International solidarity: International support and solidarity were vital for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. The international community, including governments, organizations, and individuals, contributed to the pressure on the apartheid regime by imposing economic sanctions, divestment campaigns, and supporting the global anti-apartheid movement.
6. Defiance Campaigns: Large-scale campaigns of civil disobedience, known as Defiance Campaigns, were organized by anti-apartheid groups such as the African National Congress (ANC). These campaigns encouraged individuals to openly defy apartheid laws, such as pass laws, by deliberately breaking the laws and willingly accepting arrests and prosecution.
7. Students and youth activism: Students and youth played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid struggle. They organized protests, marches, and boycotts, demanding equal rights and access to education for all. Organizations like the South African Students Organization (SASO) and Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) were at the forefront of youth resistance.
Through these and other methods of civil resistance, South Africans fought against apartheid and ultimately paved the way for democratic elections and the end of institutionalized racial segregation in the early 1990s.