The role of Front Line states in fighting Apartheid.

•    The front line states included Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique and Malawi. Their contribution to dismantling apartheid was as follows.
•    Due to their geographical location, they formed the front line against apartheid forces in South Africa.
•    They gave political asylum to political fugitives from South Africa e.g Oliver Tambo ran into Zambia from where he co-ordinated the activities of the ANC and continued with the crusade of decampaigning apartheid.
•    These states imposed a trade embargo on South African.
•    They provided education to the young South Africans who fled from the racist regime.
•    This sharpened them into becoming serious nationalists.
•    They exerted pressure on president Botha and later F. De Clerk to repeal the apartheid laws and release the prisoners. This resulted into some reforms.
•    They provided military training to the guerrillas against apartheid.
•    They provided forests, which the ANC and PAC turned into guerrilla bases.
•    They provided the ANC guerrillas with war logistics e.g medicine, food and uniform.
•    Political freedom in the front line states inspired the South Africans to fight for their own freedom as well.
•    Stories of successful liberation struggles against Portuguese rule in Angola and Mozambique made South Africans determined to sacrifice their lives for the liberation of South Africa just as Africans in Angola and Mozambique had done.

National Movements and New States in Africa