The International Response (Grade 12 NSC Matric History): Revision Notes
The International Response
During the 1980s, the international community played a crucial role in opposing the apartheid system in South Africa. The struggle against apartheid was not just a domestic fight - it became a global movement for justice that put enormous pressure on the South African government.
International anti-apartheid movements
The fight against apartheid received significant support from international movements, particularly in Western countries. These movements understood that ending apartheid required global pressure and coordinated action.
Anti-apartheid movements in Western countries became powerful forces that pressured their own governments and private corporations to take action against South Africa.
These movements used several key strategies to apply pressure:
- Sport boycotts - International sporting bodies excluded South African teams and athletes from competitions, isolating the country from international sport
- Sanctions - Governments imposed trade restrictions and economic penalties on South Africa
- Disinvestment - Companies and investors withdrew their money and business operations from South Africa
These tactics were designed to make the economic and social costs of maintaining apartheid too high for the South African government to bear.
Support from frontline states
The neighbouring countries of South Africa, known as frontline states, provided crucial support to liberation movements despite facing serious risks. These countries understood that apartheid threatened the entire region's stability and development.
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) officially recognised both the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) as the legitimate representatives of the South African people. This recognition was extremely important because it gave these liberation movements international legitimacy and support.
Several independent African states, including Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia, allowed the ANC to establish offices within their borders. This support enabled liberation movements to operate more effectively and maintain international connections.
The military wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), was able to establish military bases closer to South Africa in these neighbouring countries. Throughout the 1980s, MK's activities within South Africa increased significantly, though they never posed a serious conventional military threat to the apartheid government.
The South African government's response
Faced with this growing international and regional pressure, the apartheid government under P.W. Botha developed several counter-strategies.
The constellation strategy
Botha attempted to create a "Constellation of Southern African States" that would be friendly towards South Africa. This alliance was intended to include some homeland leaders and conservative African leaders who might support South Africa's regional interests.
However, this strategy largely failed because the majority of frontline states refused to join any apartheid-friendly alliance. They recognised that cooperation with the apartheid government would undermine their own credibility and the broader African liberation struggle.
The destabilisation policy
When diplomatic efforts failed, the South African government embarked on a policy of destabilisation, particularly targeting Angola and Mozambique.
This aggressive policy included several tactics:
- Direct military raids and assassinations of ANC members living in frontline states
- Training and supporting anti-government movements in neighbouring countries to create internal conflicts
- Providing resources and weapons to rebel groups that opposed governments friendly to liberation movements
After 1982, South Africa significantly escalated these activities, launching military raids, sabotage operations, assassinations, kidnappings, bombings and espionage in several frontline states. The primary targets of these operations included Mozambique, Angola, Botswana and Lesotho.
Impact and significance
The international response to apartheid in the 1980s created a total strategy crisis for the South African government. The combination of international sanctions, sporting boycotts, economic disinvestment, and regional isolation made it increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain the apartheid system.
The support from frontline states was particularly significant because it provided liberation movements with safe bases for operations and international legitimacy. However, this support came at an enormous cost to these countries, which faced military attacks, economic sabotage, and political destabilisation from South Africa.
The escalation of South Africa's destabilisation policy after 1982 showed how desperately the apartheid government was trying to maintain control in the face of growing pressure. These aggressive tactics ultimately backfired by increasing international condemnation of the apartheid system.
Key Points to Remember:
- International pressure through boycotts, sanctions, and disinvestment weakened apartheid economically and politically
- Frontline states provided crucial support to liberation movements despite facing serious risks and retaliation
- The OAU's recognition of the ANC and PAC gave these movements international legitimacy
- P.W. Botha's constellation strategy failed because most African states refused to cooperate with apartheid
- South Africa's destabilisation policy after 1982 involved military raids and support for rebel groups in neighbouring countries, ultimately increasing international condemnation