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THE ANCS LIBERATION STRUGGLE IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1912-1994

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The African National Congress (ANC) Liberation Struggle in South Africa, spanning from 1912 to 1994, represents a significant chapter in the country's history. The struggle against apartheid, racial segregation, and institutionalized discrimination formed the backbone of the ANC's efforts towards achieving freedom and equality for all South Africans.

The iconic struggle between the apartheid regime of South Africa and  those who  resisted it illustrates the complexity of some cases of civil resistance. Originally the use of civil resistance against apartheid was based on Gandhian ideas, which originated in South Africa in 1906 where Gandhi was a lawyer working for an Indian trading firm. Soon the African National Congress (ANC), founded in 1912, became the major force opposing the apartheid system’s oppression of the 80% non-European population of the country. Using mostly legal tactics of protest during its first four decades, the ANC became more militant in the early 1950s and began using nonviolent direct action.

White  South  Africans  (Afrikaners)  monopolized  control  over  the  state  and  the  economy, including  rich  natural  resources  such  as  a  third  of  the  world’s  known  gold  reserves.  The Afrikaners developed an explicit theology and philosophy of white racial superiority and a legal and economic system enforced by a modern military and police force that deliberately excluded nonwhites from  economic and  political power.  Nevertheless, the system became increasingly reliant upon nonwhite labor and isolated from international diplomacy and trade.

Discouraged  about the  lack  of  results from their  nonviolent  campaign, Nelson  Mandela and others called for an armed uprising, creating the Umkhonto We Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”) that paralleled the nonviolent resistance. That, too, failed to tear down the apartheid system, and in the  end  a  concerted  grassroots  nonviolent  civil  resistance  movement  in  coalition  with international support and sanctions forced the white government to negotiate.

On 17 March 1992 two-thirds  of  South Africa’s white voters approved  a  negotiated  end of the minority regime and the apartheid system. Nelson Mandela was elected as the President of the new South Africa in the first free elections by the entire population.

The decades of struggle saw the ebb and flow of a wide variety of strategic actions within the anti-apartheid movement. American theologian Walter Wink (1987: 4) suggests the movement was “probably the largest grassroots eruption of diverse nonviolent strategies in a single struggle in human history.”

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the ANC's longstanding fight against apartheid, there remains a need to comprehensively understand the various facets and impacts of its liberation struggle. This study aims to delve into the intricacies of the ANC's struggle and its implications on South African society.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to determine the multifaceted impact of the ANC Liberation Struggle in South Africa. Specific objectives include:

i. To evaluate the impact of ANC activism on dismantling apartheid policies.

ii. To determine the socio-economic consequences of the ANC's struggle on post-apartheid South Africa.

iii. To find out the role of international solidarity in supporting the ANC's liberation efforts.

1.4 Research Questions

i. What is the effectiveness of ANC activism in dismantling apartheid policies?

ii. What is the socio-economic aftermath of the ANC's struggle on post-apartheid South Africa?

iii. How does international solidarity contribute to supporting the ANC's liberation efforts?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Hypothesis I

H0: There is no significant impact of ANC activism on dismantling apartheid policies.

H1: There is a significant impact of ANC activism on dismantling apartheid policies.

Hypothesis II

H0: There is no significant socio-economic aftermath of the ANC's struggle on post-apartheid South Africa.

H2: There is a significant socio-economic aftermath of the ANC's struggle on post-apartheid South Africa.

Hypothesis III

H0: There is no significant contribution of international solidarity to supporting the ANC's liberation efforts.

H3: There is a significant contribution of international solidarity to supporting the ANC's liberation efforts.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Understanding the impact of the ANC Liberation Struggle is crucial for comprehending South Africa's socio-political landscape and its journey towards reconciliation and nation-building.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses specifically on the ANC Liberation Struggle from 1912 to 1994 and its implications for South African society, both during and after apartheid.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

Limitations may include constraints in accessing primary sources, potential biases in historical records, and the complexity of measuring the long-term impacts of such a multifaceted struggle.

1.9 Definition of Terms

ANC: The African National Congress, a political organization in South Africa that played a pivotal role in the country's liberation struggle.

Liberation Struggle: The collective efforts and resistance against apartheid and racial discrimination in South Africa.

Apartheid: The system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994.

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