IEB HISTORY GRADE 12
TOPIC 4.2 - BOTHA'S REFORMS
,PW BOTHA
prime minister : 1978 - 1984
President from : 1984 - 1989
Policy of Total Onslaught- Total Strategy
1. Botha believe facing communist threats - this threat was called TOTAL ONSLAUGHT
Mozambique ; Angola ; Zimbabwe = all adopted socialist government
2. Opposed with TOTAL STRATEGY = 2 contradictory policies
1. Limited reforms = to try win support of black community but actually aimed at maintaining
white control (BOTHA’S REFORMS)
2. Intensified repression = to crush any resistance
Repression under Botha
1. Use army to crush rebellion: military budget increased + compulsory 2 year service white males
2. Increase police power = control/suppress resistance
• increase imprisonment of political activists
• Anti apartheid activists detained without trial
• Banning organisations
• Prohibition of meetings , rallies and marches
3. assassinate anti apartheid activities
4. State of emergency
• Imposed July 1985 and lifted in Feb 1986 and reimposed 12 June 1986
= Police / Army given power to suppress resitance :
1. 35 000 Soliders in townships
2. 2000 black peoples killed on political violence
3. 8000 people detained without trial
4. Censorship =eg. newspapers prohibited from reporting on political action
5. SADF beyond SA borders
= Raid ANC bases + assassination ANC members
1. Parcel bombs , air and commando raids , car bomb attacks
= destabilise frontline states by formenting civil wars
1. Support Renamo against FRELIMO (Mozambique)
2. Support unita against MPLA (Angola)
, REFORMS
1. INDEPENDENCE IN HOMELANDS
• own flag , President, national anthem , some administrative powers
• 4 homeland took up offer
• independence =no black South Africans citizens as has political rights in own country
—> attempt to avoid questions from international community
• But not real dependence = relied on SA financial support + no control over polocts
• reaffirmed white control = blacks has no political rights as has rights in own country
2. A PERMANENT BLACK URBAN POPULATION
• 1970s = increase demand for employment in urban areas + lack of employment in homelands
= black people flood into cities (despite pass law) + informal settlements grew
• gov. Tried to combat through arrest /forced removals = people kept coming + jails overwhelmed
• Economy demanded more and more labour but pass laws prohibited this from happening
= 1986 : pass law abolished
• allowing permanent residence in white cities did not give any political rights but only provided
skilled workforce. White power still maintained
3. A BLACK MIDDLE CLASS
• Relaxed petty Apartheid laws as difficult to enforce them
• Separate entrances ; mixed marriages act ; immorality act abolished
• Improved conditions In townships = better housing , electricity
= hoped by allowing blacks middle class lifestyle = enjoy freedoms / luxuries + be less militant to
gov. + less attracted to communism
• aimed at making black peoples happy in order to maintain white control + no political rights given
so white control maintained
4. LEGALISED TRADE UNIONS
• Growing black labour force began to demand being represented by trade unions
• 1979 = legalised trade unions
TOPIC 4.2 - BOTHA'S REFORMS
,PW BOTHA
prime minister : 1978 - 1984
President from : 1984 - 1989
Policy of Total Onslaught- Total Strategy
1. Botha believe facing communist threats - this threat was called TOTAL ONSLAUGHT
Mozambique ; Angola ; Zimbabwe = all adopted socialist government
2. Opposed with TOTAL STRATEGY = 2 contradictory policies
1. Limited reforms = to try win support of black community but actually aimed at maintaining
white control (BOTHA’S REFORMS)
2. Intensified repression = to crush any resistance
Repression under Botha
1. Use army to crush rebellion: military budget increased + compulsory 2 year service white males
2. Increase police power = control/suppress resistance
• increase imprisonment of political activists
• Anti apartheid activists detained without trial
• Banning organisations
• Prohibition of meetings , rallies and marches
3. assassinate anti apartheid activities
4. State of emergency
• Imposed July 1985 and lifted in Feb 1986 and reimposed 12 June 1986
= Police / Army given power to suppress resitance :
1. 35 000 Soliders in townships
2. 2000 black peoples killed on political violence
3. 8000 people detained without trial
4. Censorship =eg. newspapers prohibited from reporting on political action
5. SADF beyond SA borders
= Raid ANC bases + assassination ANC members
1. Parcel bombs , air and commando raids , car bomb attacks
= destabilise frontline states by formenting civil wars
1. Support Renamo against FRELIMO (Mozambique)
2. Support unita against MPLA (Angola)
, REFORMS
1. INDEPENDENCE IN HOMELANDS
• own flag , President, national anthem , some administrative powers
• 4 homeland took up offer
• independence =no black South Africans citizens as has political rights in own country
—> attempt to avoid questions from international community
• But not real dependence = relied on SA financial support + no control over polocts
• reaffirmed white control = blacks has no political rights as has rights in own country
2. A PERMANENT BLACK URBAN POPULATION
• 1970s = increase demand for employment in urban areas + lack of employment in homelands
= black people flood into cities (despite pass law) + informal settlements grew
• gov. Tried to combat through arrest /forced removals = people kept coming + jails overwhelmed
• Economy demanded more and more labour but pass laws prohibited this from happening
= 1986 : pass law abolished
• allowing permanent residence in white cities did not give any political rights but only provided
skilled workforce. White power still maintained
3. A BLACK MIDDLE CLASS
• Relaxed petty Apartheid laws as difficult to enforce them
• Separate entrances ; mixed marriages act ; immorality act abolished
• Improved conditions In townships = better housing , electricity
= hoped by allowing blacks middle class lifestyle = enjoy freedoms / luxuries + be less militant to
gov. + less attracted to communism
• aimed at making black peoples happy in order to maintain white control + no political rights given
so white control maintained
4. LEGALISED TRADE UNIONS
• Growing black labour force began to demand being represented by trade unions
• 1979 = legalised trade unions
