GRADE LEVEL SECTION SUB-SECTION DURATION
12 SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY FROM RESISTANCE TO DEMOCRACY 5 LESSONS

Resistance and Extra Parliamentary Activities
Township Organisation

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On 3 September 1983, the Tricameral Parliament opened in Cape Town against a backdrop of protest demonstrations that spread across the country. This marked the start of the longest and most widespread period of black resistance to white rule.

Source N
A call for a public meeting by TIC in 1984

The focus of these protests was the Black Local Authorities, made legal entities by the Koornhof Bills and the Black Authorities Act of 1982. The BLA gave greater power to municipal councils and authorised the election of mayors and councillors in the African, Indian and Coloured areas.

The UDF educated and agitated around this, encouraging people to boycott the elections and succeeding in ensuring a very low turnout. Between 1984 and 1989 the state grew increasingly repressive in its response to the growing defiance and challenge by the people to apartheid.

The revolt against municipal councils spread swiftly. Work stay aways were called in Soweto on September 17 by the Release Mandela Committee and in Kwa Thema (Springs) on October 14 by a parent – student committee. These stayaways, which drew in the Federation of South African Trade Unions and student leadership, popularised the demand for the resignation of municipal councillors.

The authorities added fuel to the conflagration by calling in the army to help the police. South African Defence Force personnel began serving as police auxiliaries in early October. On September 23, seven thousand soldiers, accompanied by an array of armoured vehicles, carried out a raid on Sebokeng, checking passes and arresting people whose papers were not in order.

Source O: Extract from Tom Lodge and Bill Nasson: All, Here and Now:
Black Politics in South Africa in the 1980s

The presence of soldiers in townships united the people against all symbols of the regime. Because outlets for the expression of this frustration were banned, such as public demonstrations and media, violence erupted and government buildings were set on fire. A horrifying trend of ‘necklacing’ began. Suspected collaborators and government agents known as ‘sell outs’ (impimpi) were killed by placing a burning tyre over them. A partial State of Emergency was declared in 1985.

Source P
Extract from Tom Lodge and Bill Nasson: All Here and Now: Black Politics in South Africa in the 1980s

A national State of Emergency was declared in 1986. This provided the State with sweeping policing powers to crush resistance. In the Eastern Cape members of the UDF, the Cradock Four, Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli were stabbed, shot and their bodies burnt by the Cape Security Branch on June 26, 1985

Source Q
(Source: From the ANC UMRABULO, 2003)
An illustration of the State's response towards mass resistance in the 1980s

Source R
COSATU emblem (From COSATU website)

Learning Outcome 3: Knowledge construction and communication
Learners will be expected to synthesise information about the past to develop, sustain and defend an independent line of historical argument. They will be expected to communicate and present information reliably and accurately in writing and verbally.

Activity 8

 Study Sources N – R

  1. How was the township organised in the 1980s?
  2. What was the government’s response when the people rejected township mayors and councillors?
  3. What can you tell from the faces of the people in Source Q?
  4. Why do you think they are tied together in a rope?
  5. What does Source Q tell us about the government at that time?
  6. How did people respond when the government sent troops into the township?
  7. What are the people in Source R doing? Are they justified in doing this? Have a debate on this in the class.

 

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