South Africa recently marked the end of the apartheid system, which began in 1948 and enforced segregation as law. The system classified citizens into four racial groups and denied political and economic rights to black South Africans. Resistance to racism in South Africa pre-dates apartheid, with the Imbumba ya Manyama formed in the 1880s to articulate an African identity that transcended tribalism.
In 1912, the African National Congress (ANC) was started as a movement led by elite Blacks to oppose their disenfranchisement after the creation of the Union.
Resistance and Repression
The ANC initially expressed demands through petitions and polite dialogue but shifted to nonviolent resistance, such as strikes, protests, and the Defiance Campaign in 1952. However, these actions failed to bring significant concessions for black South Africans.
In 1960, police opened fire during a large demonstration in Sharpeville, killing at least 69 black South Africans and arresting many more, including prominent black leaders. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and spent the next 27 years in prison. In 1976, the Soweto Uprising saw students protesting against the imposition of Afrikaans as the only language of instruction, resulting in police opening fire on protestors.
Larger Protests and International Pressure
By the 1980s, anti-apartheid forces were largely united around a nonviolent resistance to achieve maximum participation among non-whites and bring international pressure on the government. The latter half of the 1980s saw some of the largest and most impactful protests yet, with mass non-cooperation and strikes organized. In addition, resistors created alternative community-based institutions, such as community clinics and legal resource centers, to replace discriminatory government institutions.
Fall of Apartheid
The resistance culminated in the Defiance Campaign in 1989, with multiracial peace marches across the country, including in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. In 1990, President de Klerk lifted bans on political parties such as the ANC, freed thousands of prisoners including Mandela, and lifted the state of emergency that had been imposed amidst rising protests in the 1980s.
On March 17, 1992, a referendum among the white South African population ushered in a new era of political freedom and legal equality. While systemic disadvantages continue to impact black South Africans, the end of apartheid brought significant change to the country.
Nelson Mandela’s Legacy
Nelson Mandela played a significant role in the fight against apartheid, from establishing the first black law firm in South Africa to forming the ANC Youth League and negotiating with State President F. W. de Klerk for the end of apartheid. He became the first black president of South Africa and is widely celebrated as an international icon of peace and reconciliation.
International Conventions Against Racial Discrimination
The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was adopted in 1965 and remains the principal international human rights instrument defining and prohibiting racial discrimination in all sectors of private and public life. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings.
MCQs on The End of Apartheid in South Africa
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What does apartheid mean in Afrikaans?
A. “separateness” or “the state of being apart”
B. “equality” or “integration”
C. “unity” or “harmony”
D. “oppression” or “discrimination”
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Which organization was formed in 1912 to oppose the disenfranchisement of Black South Africans?
A. African National Congress
B. Imbumba ya Manyama
C. Defiance Campaign
D. Sharpeville Uprising
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What event in 1960 led to the government declaring a state of emergency and arresting more than 18,000 people, including prominent black leaders?
A. The Defiance Campaign
B. The Soweto Uprising
C. The Sharpeville Massacre
D. The Anti-Apartheid Protests
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