Bothas Reforms

POLITICAL

What did South Africa adopt under PW bothas leadership?

A new constitution (Came into play 1984, and this coincided with the UDF’s a million signatures campaign, which failed as it only got 400)

However, due to AMSCOR, how was apartheid sustainable economically

Became worlds 11th biggest arms producer, valued at 3 billion rand by 1990, and the defence minister said they could ‘defeat any African army from sunset until dawn’ - Showing their strength both politically and economically

How can Botha’s reforms be seen as largely cosmetic?

By 1979 Black workers were granted trade union rights, as recommended by the Wiehahn Commission. The Labour Relations Amendment Act allowed all races to hold union membership.

What did Botha say in a 1979 state of the union adress, where he also announced the tricameral parlaiament

‘We must adapt, or we will die’ - Showing that the system was failing previously, and he needed to maintain baskup (White Afrikaner domiantion economically)

1983, the tricameral pariament he had proposed, came into effect.

How did trade unionists take advantage of that of the legalisation of trade unions

1979- COSATU

1974- 14k work days lost
1984- 365k work days lost

Economic:

How many US firms pulled out in the period

Over 50, with 200 more including worldwide giant Kodak pulling out after his rubicon speech

However, what did some international governments believe of the situation in South Africa

Nixon- Called the ANC a communist insurgency

Thatcher - ‘Pure terroists, anyone that is strategising against british buisnesses’ (Link to 1985 Operation daisy by the secruity forces, in which had been set up in 1957, showing its long term hold over the system)

However, how were cracks starting to appear in the system

Following the 1976 Soweto Uprising, there were rent strikes, the burning down of 2 government buildings cost an already struggling government, 400k rand. Addtionally, when the 1977 Mandatory Arms Boycott was imposed by the UN, this meant that 10% of arms which were coming from Britan, stopped coming.

Violence/Failure to stop millitant unrest

How many votes did the National Party end up losing to the conservative party, under hard line Treunsinch

Nearly 600k votes.

How did Helen Suzman, the supposed ‘thorn in the side’, and what verwoerd called her ‘an ignorable irratance’ start to become less ignorable!

She went from just one seat, her thorn, to then seven, and then by the 1978 eleciton, 17 seats