IB 20th Century: Apartheid

Necklacing

Execution/torture method carried out by forcing a rubber tyre, filled with petrol, around a victim's chest and arms and setting it on fire. Necklacing was used during the anti-apartheid movement to punish members who were perceived as collaborators with the Verwoerd/apartheid government. It was primarily used on police informants, but the ANC condemned it. The violent practice of necklacing created divisions within the movement, and perpetrators were condemned by wider communities. The extreme violence forced the government to take action, eventually liberating Nelson Mandela. Scared much of the black South African community. The first reported person during the movement to have been "necklaced" was a South-African woman named Maki Skosana. It was televised.

Nelson Mandela

(1918-2013) First black president of South Africa, anti-apartheid revolutionary, and former lawyer. Under his government, he dismantled the legacy of apartheid by focusing on institutionalised racism. Used non-violent protest tactics/sabotage campaign against apartheid/Verwoerd Government and was sentenced to life in prison in 1964, of which he served 27 years. Regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice, as well as figurehead of the anti-apartheid movement. Mandela's efforts and time in jail motivated the South African people to rebel against apartheid and their government. Known as "father of the nation."

Winnie Mandela

(1936-2018) South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela. Member of the ANC, headed the women's league. After Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, she became his public face and rose to prominence within the domestic anti-apartheid movement. In the 1980s, she exerted a "reign of terror" in Soweto, leading to a condemnation of the anti-apartheid movement. Unlike Nelson Mandela, Winnie pursued violent protest, leading to many casualties but ultimately led to the end of the apartheid regime. Known as "mother of the nation."

Rivonia Trial

(9 Otober 1963 - 12 June 1964). Ten members of the ANC (including Nelson Mandela) went on trial on charges of sabotage. The Verwoerd government wanted the death penalty for the accused, who plead not guilty. They were sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island prison. Represented the interference of the legal system in liberation movements. Although there was a minor victory in the fact that their sentenced was reduced, they were still illegitimate in the eyes of the people and government. During the trial, Nelson Mandela made a three hour speech.

Hendrik Verwoerd

1901-1966. South African politician, leader of South Africa's National Party and served as prime minister from 1958-61. Authoritarian, socially conservative leader and Afrikaner nationalist who wanted to preserve white minority rule by whites over non-whites. Largely responsible for the expansion of apartheid and heavily repressing the anti-apartheid movement, imprisoning tens of thousands of people and banning organisations such as the ANC and PAC. His actions led to the UN in 1962 to condemn apartheid, causing international isolation and economic sanctions against the country. Verwoerd's cruel actions were responsible for heightening tension in South Africa, eventually leading to the rise of violent protests by organisations like the ANC.

Defiance Campaign

1950-52 began with a commitment to militant African nationalism and mass action through tactics of boycotts, strikes and civil disobedience. Largest non-violent resistance in South Africa and the first campaign pursued by all racial groups under the leadership of the ANC and the SAIC. Got masses of volunteers to perform acts of defiance, accompanied by freedom songs and cries of "Afrika!" Everyone was arrested. Government became concerned and reacted with the arrest of leaders of the campaign, charged with the Suppression of Communism Act. Resistance won UN recognition that South African racial policy was an international issue, UN investigated. ANC membership rose by tens of thousands. ANC went from moderation to militancy. Demonstrated potential power of African leadership and organisational skill and discipline.

Population Registration Act

1950. Required that each inhabitant of South Africa be classified and registered in accordance with his/her racial characteristics during apartheid. Social, political, educational rights and economic status were largely determined by the group to which an individual belonged. Basic racial classifications: Black, White, Coloured (mixed). Indians were later added. Deepened internal racial divisions within the country and made it possible for the government to pursue other apartheid policies, like the Immorality Amendment Act of 1950. Isolated black South African community, making them more motivated to pursue change.

Petty Apartheid Example

1953 Native Labour (Settlement of Disputes) Act. Took away legal right of black workers to strike, removing a powerful form of resistance.

Bantu Education Act

1953. Enforced racially separated educational facilities, including universities and missionary schools. Aimed to direct black/non-white youth to unskilled labour market by, supposedly, creating complementary "economic and political units" for different ethnic groups. There was great disparity between schools for whites and schools for non-whites. Act required black children to attend government schools, and teaching would take place in their native tongue, so they could be isolated from the rest of the South Africa and so that the government could ensure that they are only trained for positions in menial jobs and manual labour. The government gave a fraction of what they give to white schools to black schools. Teachers were underpaid, classrooms were overcrowded and most schools lacked basic utilities. Example of the extent of the oppression felt by black people under the apartheid regime.

Separate Amenities Act

1953. Formed part of the apartheid system of racial segregation in South Africa. Legalised the racial segregation of public premises, vehicles and services. Best facilities were reserved for white people, while those for other races were inferior. Created tension between black South African community and government. Institutionalised policy of racial segregation supported by South Africa's white rulers, founded on centuries of their domination.

Alexandra Bus Boycott

1957. A protest undertaken against the Public Utility Transport Corporation (PUTCO) for an increase in bus fares by the people of Alexandra. Generally recognised as being one of the few successful political campaigns of the Apartheid era. Lasted from January to June, at its height consisted of 70,000 people. Named Azikwelwa (we will not ride). Attracted attention from South African press and ended in the Chamber of Commerce agreeing to a public subsidy that would return the old fare.

Sharpeville Massacre

1960, killing ANC protesters by police, turning point in the anti-apartheid movement in Sharpeville. Originated as a demonstration against pass laws targeting the police station, amassed 5-7,000 protestors. The South African Police opened fire in the crowd, killing 69 and injuring 180. Caused massive uproar among South Africa's black population, culminating in demonstrations, protest marches, strikes and riots throughout the country. Government declared a state of emergency and detained 18,000 people including prominent members of the ANC. Also led to increased international interest and brought the attention of the UN, eventually isolating them from the rest of the world and playing a large part in their departure from the Commonwealth of Nations. Marks a turning point in South Africa's history.

Pencil Test

A method of assessing whether a person has Afro-textured hair and are therefore black/coloured. A pencil is pushed through the hair, if it falls, the person is white; if it stays, they are deemed black. Partially responsible for splitting existing communities and families along perceived racial lines. A symbol of racism. It was humiliating and degrading, if not simply absurd.

Albert Luthuli

Also known as Mvumbi, South African teacher, activist and politician. Elected president of the ANC in 1952, led opposition of white minority government. Was also a Tribal chief.

South African Communist Party (SACP)

Founded in 1921, communist party in South Africa that was declared illegal in 1950 by the National party. Participated in the struggle to end apartheid. Partner of the Tripartite Alliance with the ANC and COSATU. Target of the governing National Party (Suppression of Communism Act). White members formed the Congress of Democrats which allied with the ANC on the basis of multi-racialism. Adopted the Freedom Charter in its aim to achieve a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. Part of the Spear of the Nation and campaign of economic bombing.

African National Congress (ANC)

Founded on 8 January 1912 by John Langalibalele Dube, its primary mission was to bring all Africans together as one people and to defend their rights and freedoms. This included giving full voting rights to black and mixed-race South Africans and to end the system of apartheid. Originally attempted to use non-violent protests, however the Sharpeville massacre contributed to deteriorating relations with the South African government. Banned by government, leading to formation of Spear of the Nation that used guerilla warfare and sabotage to fight against apartheid. Decades of struggle, at which the ANC was at the forefront and during which many members had been imprisoned or exiled, eventually led to an end of the apartheid regime in 1994. Now the country's governing political party.

Prohibition of Marriages Act

July 1949. Prohibited marriage or a sexual relationship between White people and people of other race groups in South Africa. Introduced by the apartheid government. A number of people were arrested and charged for breaking its provisions. Nullified interracial marriages of South Africans that occurred outside the country. Served to perpetuate racial segregation and create further divides in South African society, keeping white people at the top.

Petty Apartheid

Racial segregation enforced primarily in public transportation and hotels and restaurants and other public places. Segregation in daily life. Different to Grand Apartheid, which governed major areas of life like dictating which areas black people were allowed to live in. Included the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act (1953) which divided every service into two: European and non-European sections. Black people were also paid significantly less than white people and were restricted in the jobs they could get. First wave of apartheid, built on existing relationship between races. Helped lead to the creation of ANC.

The Group Areas Act

Set aside separate living areas and business districts for each race within cities; combined with other Land Acts, this law ensured that the white minority (about 1/5 of the pop.) would own 80% of the land. Assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas. Excluded non-Whites from living areas restricted to Whites, causing many of them to have to commute large distances from their homes in order to work. Forcibly removed non-whites from their homes. Played into their withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961 because the international community could not accept their racial policies. One of the many causes of the anti-apartheid movement.

Freedom Charter

The ANC's clear statement on the future of South Africa. Thousands of people participated in the campaign to create the Freedom Charter, which would include the common demands for the South Africa they wanted to live in. Vision for a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa. United efforts to reach a common goal. Opening demand: "The People Shall Govern." Officially adopted on June 26 1955.

Grand Apartheid

The second stage of the Apartheid era, beginning with the government of HF Verwoerd in 1959; its main goal was the complete territorial segregation of South Africa. Included removal of black people from white areas and the creation of black homelands. Denied black Africans political representation and sometimes citizenship. Regulated the movement of black people in South Africa, intended to keep them out of cities and other spaces. Bantu Self-Government Act, 1951 Group Areas Act, Pass Laws. The Native Abolition of Passes and Coordination of Documents Act inspired outrage in the black community, leading to the Sharpeville massacre and heightened tension with the government.

Immorality Act

The title of two acts of the Parliament of South Africa which prohibited, amongst other things, sexual relations between white people and people of other races. The first Immorality Act (1927) prohibited sex between whites and blacks, until its amendment in 1950 which banned sex between whites and non-whites. The second Immorality Act (1957) dealt with other sex offences. Created strong internal divisions within South Africa that controlled every aspect of their lives. Prevented communication between races, confining them.

Bantustans

Tribal homelands established by the apartheid regime to deprive the black majority of South African citizenship. Ten Bantustans existed in South Africa in order to concentrate ethnic groups, making those areas ethnically homogenous and as a basis for creating "autonomous" nation states for the black ethnic groups. Some Bantustans eventually declared independence. Bantustans were usually reserved for sparse areas with poor land value and were crowded with people, creating massive economic problems and mass poverty, reliant on subsidies by South African government. They were essentially used for "surplus (black) people." Anti-apartheid movements in the 1980s eventually led to the government's abandonment of its intention to make them independent, and in 1994 they were reincorporated into South Africa with full citizenship rights. Comes from Bantu (meaning people in some Bantu languages) and -stan (meaning "land" in Persian).

Spear of the Nation (MK)

Umkhonto we Sizwe. Armed wing of the ANC, co-founded by Nelson Mandela in wake of Sharpeville massacre. Its goal was to fight against apartheid and the South African government. It launched sabotage campaigns utilising economic terrorism. Launched its first attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961 and its leaders, including Nelson Mandela, were arrested in July 1963. Spear of the Nation helped win support for the anti-apartheid movement and threatened the government.