THE FREEDOM CHARTER + PAC

The Freedom Charter:

1955 - The Congress Alliance wrote a charter list of their core political beliefs

• Many South Africans submitted their suggestions for various things

• it was revealed at a rally in Kliptown in June 1955

• it declared that it wanted a fully democratic South Africa

• it was the foundation for future political radicalisation

PAC = Pan-Africanist Congress

A separate organisation from the ANC as they were more radical and believed in ‘Africa for the Africans’

• they believed non-africans were gaining too much influence → Freedom Charter = multi-racial

Key Leaders → Robert Sobukwe, Potlake Leballo

• they wanted direct action!

• the split from the ANC was triggered in 1958 → ANC leadership re-elected as a group to their positions

• these leaders were too occupied with the treason trial → Lebballo (member of the ANC) expelled for protesting against the re-election

• due to this anger from the ANC the PAC was created

April 1959 = convention for PAC, widely reported, gov allowed it