Thomas Shiah
The Segregation Era
Black Adaptation and Resistance 1910-1939
-Before WWII, the blacks lacked the means to oppose the growth of white power in SA. The whites had a monopoly on weapons and training, and in 1912, the Defense Act created an all white citizen force. Another factor that limited their ability to resist the racial order was the fact that they were not united amongst themselves. The Indians, the Coloureds and the Africans had little in common with each other.
-Missionary schools were the main source of education for black children, there they were taught only the literary skills needed to work in the industrializing economy.
-Following the white conquest, three political organizations tried to improve the lives of the subordinated people.
-The African Political Organization (APO) founded in 1902, the South African Indian Congress (SAIC) founded in 1923, and the ANC founded in 1912. The leaders of these organizations were western oriented middle class people coming from the best schools that were available to them. The wanted to have full equality with the whites, first for the middle class, and then eventually for the masses
-The ANC tried to elicit white supporters to redresss the African grievances by constitutional means. However, neither the ANC, nor the other organizations were able to win any substantial victories against the white power, and by the 1930’s they were dying.
-Sporadic attempts at racial movements were made, the most famous being Clements Kadalie’s organization. In 1919, he formed a small trade union, and by 1928, it had become a nationwide Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU). The movement was primarily a rural movement with the African sharecroppers and tenant laborers.
-They looked down on the ANC, calling them "good boys" they were more radical, and drew ideas from Marxism, and Garvey. White framers and government tried hard to suppress the ICU, but the ICU killed itself by claiming its goals and failing to act upon them. They became corrupt and lost touch with the masses. By 1930 they had left the scene
-1921, the South African Communist party was founded. It was the only politcal group in SA to recruit members from all races. The party never gained a strong backing, membership peaked in 1930, and then declined.
World War II and the Triumph of Afrikaner Nationalism
-Gold remained SA greatest industry, but when the gold industry entered a period of slight decline, the other industries rapidly expanded (beginning in 1933). The expansion of industry led to the increase in population of the towns.
-Large numbers of Africans were settling permanently in towns, moving out of the impoverished reserves and the white farms, to find jobs. Economic forces were overpowering the government’s efforts to keep the Africans out of cities. Rises of living costs exceeded any small increases in wages for those who had jobs, as a result many Africans formed trade unions and organized strikes/boycotts; although the Industrial Conciliation Act prohibited blacks from participating in collective bargaining process and the government made strikes illegal.
-Wen the African Mineworkers Union called a four day strike at Witwatersrand in August of 1946, the 74,000 mine workers brought eight mines to a stop. They demanded a higher minimum wage, family housing, paid leave, and better food. The government reacted with violence and arrested strike leaders while driving men underground at knife point. 12 were killed and 1200 were injured.
-The Smuts administration maintained the segregation system that it set out in the Representation of Natives Act (1936), the Native Trust and Land Act (1936) and the the Native Laws Amendment Act (1936). However, some realized the sad state of the Africans and believed that they posed a danger to the white population. J. H. Hofmeyr who became deputy prime minister wanted to remove the color bar from the constitution. Smuts also was more liberal.
-The government mad a few concessions to the reformist critics, easing the job color bar, raising factory wages, made blacks eligible for pension, increased funding for education, and relaxed the pass laws. However, Smuts removed Reitz, who was responsible for the easing the pass laws (1942), his sucessor was more hardcore than JDAWG, he blew up the joint with foties and invited Smuts out to the stoop to blaze.
-As the elections of 1948 rolled around, the National Party formed an effective alliance of the principal rural and urban classes of Africaners. It attacked the British link, which had led to SA’s involvement in both WW’s. It blamed that government for its liberal reforms and the outbursts of industrial strikes.
-The National party was deeply concerned with racial relations, they wanted to do more to maintain the purity of the white race, they publicized the idea of complete and absolute racial separation.
-In the election, the National Party won 70 seats, to the United Party’s 65 seats. It was obvious that changes were coming.