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What was the nature of resistance to apartheid in

the 1950s?

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Programme of Action

The ANC remained out of touch with the mood andneeds of most black people.

A new approach was inspired by younger memberssuch as Anton Lembede (president) Mandela, WalterSisulu and Oliver Tambo.

They formed the ANC Youth League in 1944. These young leaders called for a militant programmeof action, based on mass protests, boycotts andpassive resistance.

This was known as the Programme of Action

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Throughout the 1950s , there were many campaignsand protest against the apartheid government.

There was a groundswell ( gradual strengthening of popular opinion) of resistance as people responded inoverwhelming numbers to calls for disobedience anddefiance throughout the country.

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The Defiance Campaign

In 1952the ANC launched the Defiance Campaign, which was a programme of civil disobedience. This meant that large groups of black people woulddeliberately break the law.

They aimed to get arrested and flood the countrys prisons. They hoped this would draw public attention to apartheidlaws and force the government to abolish them.Mass rallies were held and laws were broken.

Walked through whites -only entrances; sat on whites -only park benches, broke curfew and refused to carry passes.Over 8000 people were arrested

ANC membership grew to 100 000Police responded with violence and imposed heavy fines andjail sentences.

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Role of women in the resistance

In 1954 government announced that black women had to carry passes.Federation of South African Women(FEDSAW) was formed and held peaceful anti-pass demonstrations.9 August 1956 20 000 women marched to the

Union Buildings and handed over a letter of protest against pass laws to Prime MinisterStijdom.

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Community ResistanceIn 1954, in protest against the Bantu Education System many parents refused to send their children to school.

The ANC tried to establish schools, but they were forced to

close down by government threats.1957 Alexander Bus Boycotts against increased bus fares. Torch Commando: protests governments plans todisenfranchise coloured voters in the early 1950s South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) foughtagainst racism and exploitation in the workplace. Organisedstay-aways demanded better wages and working conditions.

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The Freedom Charter1953 groups within the liberation struggle came together toform the Congress Alliance.

ANC, South African Indian Congress, South AfricanCongress of Democrats( white people opposed toapartheid), Coloured Peoples Organization and the South

African Council of Trade Unions. They put together a list of grievances and demands andcalled it the Freedom Charter.1955 the Charter was unanimously adopted at theCongress of the People at Kliptown in Soweto.Essentially it called for a non racial South Africa withpolitical rights for all

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Formation of PAC

1956 a group within the ANC, led by Robert Sobukwebroke away and formed a new organization called thePan Africanist Congress.

As Africanists, they were opposed to working withorganizations that were not black. They were particularly opposed to the Congress Alliance, which included the white-based Congress of

DemocratsIn essence, they wanted black African interest to comefirst and no power -sharing

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Sharpeville marked a turning point in the resistancemovement.

The ANC and PAC, now banned decided to embark on a policy of armed resistance.1961 ANC established a military wing Umkhonto weSizwe (MK).

PAS launches POQOBoth organisations used sabotage campaigns as well asguerrilla warfare to achieve their goals.

MK targeted government installations such as powerlines.Poqo targeted chiefs and headmen who were seen ascollaborators of the government and assassinatedmany

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