Movement against Apartheid
The movement against apartheid was a powerful and long struggle against the system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. It lasted for decades, ultimately leading to its downfall in the early 1990s. Apartheid, which means “apartness” in Afrikaans, was a government policy that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against non-white South Africans. Here are some key points about this historic movement:
Apartheid was officially instituted in 1948 when the National Party came to power in South Africa. However, racial segregation and discrimination had deep roots in the country’s history, dating back to colonial times. The movement against apartheid had many influential leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Steve Biko, and Desmond Tutu. These individuals played key roles in various aspects of the struggle.
The movement employed various approaches to resist apartheid, including nonviolent protests, civil disobedience, and acts of defiance. The 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1956 Women’s March were notable early examples. The anti-apartheid movement gained global attention and support. Activists worldwide organized boycotts, protests, and divestment campaigns targeting South Africa, pressuring other nations to set boycotts on the apartheid regime.
Some groups turned to armed struggle as peaceful resistance often met with brutal repression. The African National Congress (ANC) formed an armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, led by Nelson Mandela. Many leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, including Mandela, were arrested and imprisoned for their activism.
Mandela’s imprisonment for 27 years turned him into a global symbol of resistance. International pressure and internal resistance eventually led to negotiations between the apartheid government and the ANC. In 1990, President F.W. de Klerk announced the end of apartheid, and in 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections in which Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black president.
In conclusion, the movement against apartheid was a multifaceted struggle marked by nonviolent resistance, international solidarity, and the dismantling of a deeply entrenched system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. The movement ultimately led to a more inclusive and democratic nation.
