Obstacles to South Africa's Independence (1931 - 1994).
The enactment of racist laws. The south African government enacted the pass book law which limited the free movement of non-whites, the residential areas Act which restricted Africans to certain areas, the non-intermarriage Act which prevented intermarriages between various races, the communist act which prevented freedom of association.
Inferior education. The Bantu Education Act prevented the advance of Africans in terms of education. Africans were subjected to inferior primary education.
The use of terror against nationalists also demoralized them. The South African police used to arrest and detain people without trial, to torture them with corporal punishment, electric shocks, long term imprisonment etc.
In 1960, Africans who were demonstrating peacefully at Sharpeville were crushed with brutality, killing 67 people and injuring 180 others.
Then at Soweto in 1976 police killed 176 Africans. All the above brutal reactions demoralized the nationalists and delayed the attainment of South African's independence
The creation of Bantustans Bantu homesteads also delayed the independence of South Africa. The group areas Act of 1952 created residential states for Africans.
These were created along ethnic lines and in the process promoted ethnicism and lack of inter-tribal co-operation against whites.
They realised when it was too late, that Bantustans were an obstacle to South Africa's independence.
The strong espionage network also delayed the attainment of independence in South Africa.
The ban on political parties such as the ANC, PAC and SACP (South African Communist Party) led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The formation of the triamvalent. The three rulers namely, Don Salazar of Portugal , Verwoerd of South Africa and lan Smith of Southern Rhodesia had met and agreed to retain their colonies as white men's countries.
The co-operation of some African States with the South African apartheid regime also led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The strength of the South African Army- the SADF (South African defence force) also led to delayed independence. It was large, well trained and had strong weapons.
By 1984, South Africa had 27,000 reserve soldiers, 75,000 paramilitary commandos and 51,000 infantry. To this was added South Africa's nuclear capacity which scared the neighbouring states that were harbouring ANC rebels.
The delayed independence other neighbours, e.g Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia etc. led to the delayed independence of South Africa. For long South Africa didn't have practical examples of independence struggles.
Ideological differences between nationalists led to lack of serious co-operation against the apartheid regime
The economic strength of South Africa enabled her carry on with apartheid despite the international economic sanctions against her.
Conservative leaders like Dr. Malan, Verwoerd and Vorster could not grant African Freedoms. They frustrated the African struggle for equality and it wasn't until the coming to power of F.W. De Clerk in 1989 that fundamental changes leading to the independence of South Africa started.
The influence of the cold war also led to the delayed independence of South Africa. This was because the Western Capitalist powers kept on supporting South Africa so as to check against the growing forces of communism in neighbouring Angola and Mozambique.
Political instabilities within the front line states also delayed the independence of South Africa. The apartheid regime made sure that it caused political instability in whichever country harboured the ANC rebels
The weakness of the O.A.U. in financial and military terms also led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The double standards of the UNO, which imposed halfhearted sanctions against South Africa, also enabled the white minority regime in South Africa to perpetuate its apartheid rule.
Inferior education. The Bantu Education Act prevented the advance of Africans in terms of education. Africans were subjected to inferior primary education.
The use of terror against nationalists also demoralized them. The South African police used to arrest and detain people without trial, to torture them with corporal punishment, electric shocks, long term imprisonment etc.
In 1960, Africans who were demonstrating peacefully at Sharpeville were crushed with brutality, killing 67 people and injuring 180 others.
Then at Soweto in 1976 police killed 176 Africans. All the above brutal reactions demoralized the nationalists and delayed the attainment of South African's independence
The creation of Bantustans Bantu homesteads also delayed the independence of South Africa. The group areas Act of 1952 created residential states for Africans.
These were created along ethnic lines and in the process promoted ethnicism and lack of inter-tribal co-operation against whites.
They realised when it was too late, that Bantustans were an obstacle to South Africa's independence.
The strong espionage network also delayed the attainment of independence in South Africa.
The ban on political parties such as the ANC, PAC and SACP (South African Communist Party) led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The formation of the triamvalent. The three rulers namely, Don Salazar of Portugal , Verwoerd of South Africa and lan Smith of Southern Rhodesia had met and agreed to retain their colonies as white men's countries.
The co-operation of some African States with the South African apartheid regime also led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The strength of the South African Army- the SADF (South African defence force) also led to delayed independence. It was large, well trained and had strong weapons.
By 1984, South Africa had 27,000 reserve soldiers, 75,000 paramilitary commandos and 51,000 infantry. To this was added South Africa's nuclear capacity which scared the neighbouring states that were harbouring ANC rebels.
The delayed independence other neighbours, e.g Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia etc. led to the delayed independence of South Africa. For long South Africa didn't have practical examples of independence struggles.
Ideological differences between nationalists led to lack of serious co-operation against the apartheid regime
The economic strength of South Africa enabled her carry on with apartheid despite the international economic sanctions against her.
Conservative leaders like Dr. Malan, Verwoerd and Vorster could not grant African Freedoms. They frustrated the African struggle for equality and it wasn't until the coming to power of F.W. De Clerk in 1989 that fundamental changes leading to the independence of South Africa started.
The influence of the cold war also led to the delayed independence of South Africa. This was because the Western Capitalist powers kept on supporting South Africa so as to check against the growing forces of communism in neighbouring Angola and Mozambique.
Political instabilities within the front line states also delayed the independence of South Africa. The apartheid regime made sure that it caused political instability in whichever country harboured the ANC rebels
The weakness of the O.A.U. in financial and military terms also led to the delayed independence of South Africa.
The double standards of the UNO, which imposed halfhearted sanctions against South Africa, also enabled the white minority regime in South Africa to perpetuate its apartheid rule.
National Movements and New States in Africa