rebellions

after coming to power, what did botha do?

he made a range of far-reaching reforms

why did botha make a range of far-reaching reforms after coming to power?

to ensure that the national party retained the initiative and controlled the issue of reform

after coming to power, botha introduced reforms that might've helped what?

south africa's economic situation and utilise the native african workforce to support the expansion of not just the homelands, but also white businesses, now suffering from a lack of workers as the proportion of the population that was white shrank to 13%

why did white businesses suffer around the time when botha came to power?

there was a lack of workers as the proportion of the population that was white shrank to 13%

what were botha's 10 key reforms?

1. recognising african trade unions (with conditions) and increasing job security

2. allowed africans to work in some skilled trades

3. increased education spending

4. increased spending on homelands​

5. allowed africans to take out long - term leases on their properties in urban areas​

6. de - racialised football team​

7. devolution of some political powers to the homelands & local councils​

8. creation of president's council, an advisory body of white, coloured, and indian politicians​

9. creation of coloured & indian parliaments in 1983​

10. botha took title of president, rather than PM

what did botha recognise and simultaneously increase?

african trade unions (with conditions) and increased job security

where did botha allow africans to work?

in some skilled trades

what 2 things did botha increase spending on?

education and homelands

what did botha allow africans to take out?

long-term leases on their properties in urban areas

what did botha de-racialised?

the football team

botha allowed the devolution of some political powers to who?

the homelands and local councils

what did botha create?

president's council, an advisory body of white, coloured and indian politicians

what parliaments did botha create in 1983?

coloured and indian

botha took the title of who, rather than PM?

president

botha's reforms led to a split in the national aprty, with a small group doing what?

forming a new 'conservative party', led by treurnicht, with a national vote of roughly 600,000 in the 1980s - it won 22 seats

who led the new 'conservative party'?

treurnicht

what was the new 'conservative party's' national vote in the 1980s?

roughly 600,000

how many seats did the new 'conservative party' win?

22

botha made a huge amount of reforms on coming to power which led to what?

a split in his own party and the creation of a new opposition, afrikaner conservative party

despite the creation of a new opposition, afrikaner conservative party, what did NP continued to try and follow?

apartheid's central philosophy of creating independent african nations within the borders of SA (homelands) that could run themselves

what did botha do to try and defuse discontent in urban townships (not under the control of homelands) ?

introduced new urban councils, designed to be led by african politicians - it was hoped that these councils would calm discontent by giving native africans a way to buy into the political process in the townships

it was hoped that the new urban councils would calm discontent by giving native africans a way to buy in to the political process in the townships, however, what was the problem with this?

as in the homelands, the majority of native africans refused to participate in elections they thought were pointless

what evidence is there for the new urban councils, introduced by botha, being largely helpful?

many africans wanted to take part in elections , whether they believed they were helping their communities or themselves + some saw them as an opportunity to access central government funds, and membership of the councils carried some very impressive powers, such as the ability to grant licenses and to allocate funds, attractive to many of the new african middle classes

some africans saw the new urban councils as an opportunity to do what?

access central government funds

the membership of the new urban councils carried some very impressive powers, such as what?

the ability to grant licenses and to allocate funds, which was attractive to many of the new african middle classes

botha's real strategy relied on making the new urban councils responsible for what?

for not just spending the money but also for raising it

what was the result of the new urban councils on the african population?

once again, NP policy placed the african community at odds with itself, and reduced the possibility of the african population organising an effective opposition

what was the community council act of 1977?

africans in cities were offered new urban councils under this act

when was the community council act passed?

1977

how were urban african councillors seen by the rest of the african population, and the youth in particular?

as 'sell outs'

why did most africans refuse to participate in elections in the homelands?

they saw them as fraudulent

what did some township residents wanted to take and why?

the political office as they saw it as a way of making a difference

UDF adopted the freedom charter, but dropped what from its methods?

dropped armed struggle - preferred peaceful, political methods

describe the political background the township revolts in 1980s, in terms of political awareness (5 details)

- africans in cities were offered new urban councils under community council act, 1977

- african councillors were seen as 'sell outs' by rest of african population, & the youth in particular

- most africans refused to participate in elections in homelands; they saw them as fraudulent

- some township residents wanted to take political office as they saw it as a way of making a difference

- UDF adopted the freedom charter, but dropped armed struggle from its methods, preferring peaceful, political methods

describe the political background the township revolts in 1980s, in terms of economics (7 details)

- rents made up the majority of household expenditure in townships in 1980s

- councils that wanted to improve living conditions in townships were forced to raise rents

- living conditions in townships worsened. Many lived in back yards & shacks, and councils tried to stop more unplanned building works. They failed

- councils had been given the job of collecting rents & revenue that could be spent on townships

- councils had direct power over housing, local officials, contracts, and business licenses for liquor outlets and taxis (amongst others)

- many businessmen in townships wanted access to the funds of central government

- many africans saw local government as a direct route to central government financial resources that could help africans

what made up the majority of household expenditure in townships in 1980s?

rents

urban councils that wanted to improve living conditions in townships were forced to do what?

raise rents

describe the living conditions on townships

they worsened - many lived in back yards and shacks, and councils tried to stop more unplanned building works but they failed

urban councils had been given the job of doing what?

collecting rents and revenue that could be spent on the townships

what did urban councils have direct power over?

housing, local officials, contracts and business licenses for liquor outlets and taxis (amongst others)

what did many businessmen in townships wanted?

the access to the funds of central government

what did many africans see the local government as?

a direct route to central government financial resources that could help africans

describe the political background the township revolts in 1980s, in terms of social issues (2 details)

- botha hoped that african councillors would be able to defuse some of the urban discontent

- sam buti, an activist in alexandra, hoped to use new powers to improve social conditions in the townships

what did botha hope that the african councillors would be able to do?

defuse some of the urban discontent

who was sam buti?

an activist in alexandra

sam buti (an activist in alexandra) hoped to use new powers to do what?

improve social conditions in the townships

describe the political background the township revolts in 1980s, in terms of the UDF

the united democratic front (UDF) formed against botha's attempts to gain african political allies, and argued for a united, democratic south africa

what was the UDF?

united democratic front

what did the UDF become?

a central form of opposition to botha

what kind of movement was the UDF founded as?

a non-racial movement, with coloured as well as african membership

what did the UDF adopt?

the freedom charter

what was the UDF against?

armed struggle

what did the UDF demand?

boycott of the tricameral parliament, rendering botha's key reforms inoperable

by 1983, what did activists from many different organisations felt like they needed to do?

take a stand against botha's constitutional reforms

what were activists from many different organisations concerned about?

botha finding allies for his initiative (reforms), in the homelands, coloured labour party and the urban black councils

what did the UDF argue for?

a fully democratic south africa

when and where was UDF's first rally?

- held in august 1983 at mitchell's plain in cape town (huge coloured township, to which many families were forcibly resettled from district six and the inner suburbs of cape town)

why was UDF's first rally at mitchell's plain in cape town?

the site was chosen in order to emphasise the non-racial character of new movement; it would include coloured as well as african people

who was at the heart of UDF? give examples

those who identified with ANC in the past e.g. winnie mandela & albertina sisulu, both wives of jailed ANC leaders

what did the UDF incorporate?

a new generation of highly articulate national leaders, especially those associated with churches such as desmond tutu (anglican) & frank chikane (SA council of churches)

chikane was a former what?

turfloop black consciousness activist

the UDF drew in an increasingly wide range of what?

support

the UDF was instrumental in doing what?

organising boycotts of botha's indian and coloured parliaments as well as councils in the townships

of those eligible to register, what % of indian and coloured voters actually voted for botha's indian and coloured parliaments?

estimated 13% of indians and 18% of coloureds

instead of being a distinct centralised organisation, what was the UDF?

a broad umbrella / political front that attempted to manage several strands of opposition to apartheid

the UDF was an affiliation of what? including what?

grass roots movements - including trade unions, church groups, student organisations, residents associations and community groups (they were all opposed to apartheid but they espoused different priorities & ideologies and they deployed different strategies of resistance)

who aligned with UDF in 1983 and became its largest national affiliate?

COSAS

when did COSAS align itself with UDF?

1983

in 1983, COSAS became UDF's largest what?

national affiliate

how did UDF establish itself in townships of the transvaal early in 1984?

through a million signatures campaign, which directly echoed the ANC's similar initiative in 1955 to popularise the freedom charter

how did the dynamics of south african protests shift in later months of 1984?

violent tactics were becoming increasingly attractive to new waves of protestors

what did several points of conflict trigger?

open rebellion in parts of south africa; one of these was the vaal triangle, site of sharpeville

compared with soweto or alexandra, the vaal triangle had not been a what?

a significant centre of political organisation during 1970s

what happened on 3rd of september, 1984?

it was the day that the tricameral parliament opened in cape town and an uprising against government erupted in vaal triangle + councillors were killed in sharpeville

why did the uprising on september 3rd 1984 in vaal triangle ended in a disaster?

vaal civic association, affiliated to UDF, had initially led protests but lost control of crowds - they did not advocate the killing of councillors, which constituted a new departure and a redrawing by angry youth of the boundaries of legitimate protest which was a break from recent past in vaal triangle at least

what were the crowds prepared to do during the uprising on september 3rd 1984 in the vaal triangle?

vent their anger and take vengeance on councillors whom they thought had betrayed the community

what was the aftermath of the uprising on september 3rd 1984 in the vaal triangle?

the type of violence that was used became engrained in new forms of political protest

describe the new generation of rebels

they were younger, often at high school or having recently completed it, but with little prospect of employment

there was a rapid turnover of leadership when it came to protests, why?

known members of the UDF were detained

how did the rebelling youth initially work?

incognito

what did the rebelling youth have a deep knowledge of?

the backstreets and safe houses

what did the rebelling youth try to establish?

their own system of clandestine communication

what did the rebelling youth form?

tight networks

why was political solidarity essential for the rebelling youth?

it was literally a matter of life and death

when was COSAS established?

1979

what did COSAS become the most representative body for?

scholars

who led the call to free mandela in 1980?

COSAS and african newspapers

when did COSAS and african newspapers lead the call to free mandela?

1980

what did COSAS call for during 1984 - 1985?

a renewed school boycott, and started branches in many high schools in the country; in effect they were asking that generation of schoolchildren to secure 'liberation before education'

who had little organised presence in upsurges such as the vaal uprising?

COSAS

what did COSAS participate in organising in november 1984?

a massive stayaway with trade unions

in october 1984, following the vaal uprising, what did the ANC in exile issue a call for?

'making our country ungovernable'

when did ANC in exile issue a call for 'making our country ungovernable'?

october 1984 (following the vaal uprising)

what was the outcome of ANC's call for 'making our country ungovernable'?

the movement was banned & direct identification with the ANC was dangerous

how did the ANC have some means of communication to SA?

through its radio freedom and other vehicles

what did radio freedom helped to do?

shape the consciousness & language of militant youth to whom armed struggle and mystique of MK were attractive

what did protests in SA reach by 1985?

a crescendo around the country as a whole

who became the frequent target of angry youths? what did the youths do to them?

government and council offices in townships - groups of angry youths burned them down

what is toyi - toyi? why is it important?

a jogging dance - cemented solidairty in the crowds

where did ANC flags begin to appear?

at public events such as funerals and protests