Soweto Uprising and Apartheid in South Africa

Background on Apartheid

• Date: June 16, 1976
• Location: Soweto, South Africa
• Context:
  • 28 years of apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation.
  • Black majority denied access to skilled jobs, quality education, and basic rights.
  • 1974 announcement: Schools forced to teach in Afrikaans, language of the ruling white elites.

The Soweto Uprising

• Protest: Over 10,000 students protested against Afrikaans in schools.
• Government Response:
  • Armed police opened fire on protesters.
  • Over 150 students killed, including children as young as 13.

Historical Context of Racial Violence

• Colonial History:
  • 1600s: Dutch and later British settlers colonized South Africa.
  • Displacement of local populations from ancestral lands.
• 20th Century Segregation:
  • 70% of Black population confined to 13% of land.
  • Migration to white-controlled areas for low-wage labor.

Economic Exploitation

• Labor Force:
  • By 1948, Black labor was vital to South Africa's economy.
  • Continued economic growth required a stable, educated African workforce.
• Winning Power:
  • National Party won 1948 elections, implemented apartheid to maintain white dominance.
  • Forced relocation of millions of Africans to reserves.

Apartheid Policies

• Labor Restrictions:
  • Black workers relegated to temporary visitor status in white areas.
  • Trade unions of Black workers had no official recognition.
• Social Segregation:
  • Mixed-race universities abolished, mixed marriages outlawed, and recreational spaces segregated.

Resistance Against Apartheid

• Opposition Groups:
  • Limited internal government opposition.
  • Key opposition groups: Communist Party (banned in 1950), ANC, and later, the PAC.
• Violence Against Protesters:
  • March 21, 1960: Police massacre demonstrators at PAC rally.
  • ANC and PAC were outlawed, leading to radicalization of leaders.

Armed Resistance

• Formation of Armed Wing:
  • December 1961: Nelson Mandela and others established armed resistance against apartheid.
• Global Perception:
  • National Party used anti-communist sentiment to discredit opponents.

Continued Violence and Activism

• Student Activism:
  • Post-Soweto Massacre, protests spread nationwide; over 600 protesters killed by early 1977.
• Biko's Death:
  • Steve Biko murdered in police custody, further igniting student activism.

International Response

• Global Pressure:
  • Calls from international community for an end to apartheid.
  • Some countries imposed trade embargoes on South Africa.

Transition from Apartheid to Democracy

• F.W. de Klerk's Leadership:
  • 1989: De Klerk ended apartheid to ensure survival of the white population.
• Key Events:
  • February 2, 1990: ANC unbanned, Mandela released, constitutional negotiations began.
  • 1994: Mandela elected as South Africa's first Black president in all-inclusive elections.

Legacy of Apartheid

• Ongoing Impact:
  • National trauma of apartheid still evident; many wounds remain unhealed.
• Quote by Nelson Mandela:
  • "No single person can liberate a country. You can only liberate a country if you act as a collective."

Conclusion

• Questions for Reflection:
  • How can ordinary citizens turn protests into lasting political change?