University of Oran 2 Faculty of Foreign Languages THESIS In Candidacy for the Degree of Doctorate in Science, English Language. THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN TRANSITION: FROM A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT TO A GOVERNING PARTY (1961-1999) Publicly Presented by: Mrs DEHMOUNE AMEL Before a Jury Composed of: Benhattab Abdelkader Professor University of Oran 2 President Moulfi Leila Professor University of Oran 2 Supervisor Meberbeche Faiza Professor University of Tlemcen Examiner Dani Fatiha MCA University of Oran 1 Examiner Academic Year 2018/2019 University of Oran 2 Faculty of Foreign Languages THESIS In Candidacy for the Degree of Doctorate in Science, English Language. THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN TRANSITION: FROM A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT TO A GOVERNING PARTY (1961-1999) Publicly Presented by: Mrs DEHMOUNE AMEL Before a Jury Composed of: Benhattab Abdelkader Professor University of Oran 2 President Moulfi Leila Professor University of Oran 2 Supervisor Meberbeche Faiza Professor University of Tlemcen Examiner Dani Fatiha MCA University of Oran 1 Examiner Academic Year 2018/2019 I DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my original research. References to other people’s research have been duty cited and acknowledged in this research work accordingly. Amel DEHMOUNE II Dedication “No one in this world can love a girl more than her father “ Michael Ratnadeepak To my everlasting love, my beloved father, Mr. DEHMOUNE Mohammed III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I shall thank Almighty Allah for all His blessings. I would like to express my deepest gratefulness to my supervisor Prof. Leila Moulfi for the continuous support, patience and motivation throughout the writing of this thesis. Her guidance helped me in very difficult moments to accomplish it, even if she knew that I had almost abandoned undertaking research for the many obstacles I had encountered. I could not have a better mentor to help me to stand once again, gain self-confidence and accomplish this modest research work. My sincere acknowledgments go to the members of the jury: Pr. L. Benhattab, Pr. F.Meberbeche, and Dr. F. Dani who provide me with an opportunity to learn from their insightful comments. I am also thankful to my dear colleagues Dr. Wafaa Taleb and Dr. Mimouna Zitouni who have always been my strongest moral support. My truthful gratefulness to Pr. Ghania Ouahmiche for her valuable help. With a special mention to Pr. Michelle Garneau from the Department of the History of Art at the University of Montreal, UDEM, for the work facilities and precious assistance during my short stay in Canada. Last but not least, I am deeply indebted to Mr. Sadek Bouguettaia for all the efforts he has made to complete the organization of this thesis. IV Abstract In colonial Africa, most of the African countries were subjected to conquest, exploitation and oppression for centuries. South Africa was no exception, for it also witnessed the tyranny of colonialism on its land. The South African colonial rule was characterized by the unification of the British and Dutch colonies for an entire guarantee of the Whites‟ privileges. On the other hand, this Union created a race – based society that was urging for a separation between the Whites and all the other races. The Blacks rejected the new white government‟s decisions and formed their first political party known as the African National Congress (ANC).From the early days of its foundation, the ANC was committed to settle the issue of racial discrimination policy .This, however, was a complex mission, for the new policy was officially part of the succeeding white governments. The ANC was still determined to achieve its aim through resistance until the recognition of all the ethnic groups as South African citizens. In this regard, this study aims to examine the outstanding struggle of the ANC for the recognition of the Blacks „rights and the abolition of the oppressive laws. A special focus in the thesis is about the evolution of the political party from a peaceful resistance to an armed struggle. The outcome of this situation had been a passive political transition and the success of the ANC to lead the first democratic elections in South Africa. V List of acronyms and abbreviations: AMWU African Mine Workers‟ Union ANC African National Congress ANCYL African National Congress Youth League ARM African Resistance Movement AVF Afrikaner Volksfront AWB Afrikaner Weerstands Beweging BCM Black Consciousness Movement DA Democratic Party COD The Congress for Democrats CODESA Convention for a Democratic South Africa COSAG Concerned South African Group COMSA Commonwealth Observer Mission to South Africa COSATU Congress of South African Trade Unions ICWU Industrial and Commercial Workers‟ Union IFP Inkatha Freedom Party GNU Government of National Unity MK Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) NP National NNP New National Party UDF United Democratic Front UP United Party UN United Nations UNCHR United Nations Commission on Human Rights UNICEF United Nations International Children‟s Emergency Fund VI OAU Organisation of African Union PAC Pan-Africanist Congress RDP Reconstruction and Development Programme SACC South African Council of Churches SACL South African Confederation of Labour SACP South African Communist Party SACTU South African Congress of Trade Unions SAIC South African Indian Congress SADF South African Defence Force SMEP La Société des Missions Evangéliques de Paris SANNC South African Native National Congress TAWU Transport and Allied Workers „Union TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission TUSCA Trade Union Congress of South Africa UDF United Democratic Front WNC Women‟s National Coalition VII List of maps Pages Map 1: The Republic of South Africa in the 1990‟s ……………………….. 2 Map 2: The Expansion of the Dutch Settlement in the Seventeenth Century…………………………………………………………………………12 Map 3: The Main Routes of Slave Imports to the Cape Colony……………..14 Map 4: Christian Mission Activities in the Nineteenth Century……………..21 Map5: The Union of South Africa of 1910………………………………….27 Map6: The Black Homelands………………………………………………..28 Map7: The Great Trek of the Boers of 1835…………………………………42 VIII List of Tables : pages Table 1: The average gap within the manufacturing industry……………….50 Table 2: The percentage of the net income spent by a white family and a Black one………………………………………………………………52 Table 3: Work stoppages of the black workers (1965-1974)………………….64 Table 4: Results of the Elections of 26-29 April 1994 ……………………….130 IX List of Figures: pages Figure 1: The 1948 South African Elections …………………………………….43 X TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Front page……………………………………………………………... ……….I Declaration…………………………………………………………………….. II Dedication…………………………………………………………….. ………III Acknowledgements…………………………………………………… ….…..IV Abstract…………………………………………………………………….......V List of Acronyms /Abbreviations………………………………………….......VI-VII List of Maps…………………………………………………………... ………VIII List of Tables………………………………………………………….. ………IX List of Figures…………………………………………………………………..X INTROCDUCTION……………………………………………………………..1 CHAPTER ONE: The Origins of Black Resistance and the birth of the African Congress: A Historical Background………………………………….8 1- The Coming of the White Settlers and the Beginning of a Race -based Society………………………………………………………………....................9 1.1. The Impact of the Dutch Colonial Rule on the African Community ………10 2- The British Colonial Rule and the African Society..........................................16 3-The Black Education and the Rise of Black Awareness………………………17 3.1. The Christian Missionaries and their Impact on the Natives…………….18 XI 3.2. The Introduction of the Printed Press and its Use by the Early Educated Locals …………………………………………………………23 3.3. The First Black resistance to the Colonists ……………………………..26 3.4. The Union of South Africa of 1910 and the Implementation of Official Discrimination…………………………………………………………………..26 4. The Birth of the African National Congress and its Early Pioneers…………..29 4 .1.The Founding Fathers of the African National Congress………………….30 CHAPTER TWO: The National Party and the African National Congress Peaceful Protests during the Apartheid era ………………………………..........................41 1- The 1948 Elections and the Rise of the National Party………………………41 2- The National Party Segregating Laws and Their Impact on the Existing Races…………………………………………………………………………….44 3- The ANC and the Organization of Peaceful Protests and Boycotts: Case study the African workers………………………………………………………………….45 3.1. The National Party and the Enactment of Segregative Labour Laws …..45 3.2. The Working and Living Conditions of the African Workforce during the Apartheid era……………………………………………………………………..48 3.3. The 1952 Defiance Campaign and the ANC Militancy Actions…………………………………………………………………………...53 3.4. The Impact of the Defiance Campaign on the Struggle of the Black Trade Unions……………………………………………………………………………56 3.5. The 1970‟s Work Stoppages and their Impact on the National Political Scene……………………………………………………………………………..63 XII CHAPTER THREE: The ANC and the Choice of the Armed Struggle……………………………………………………………………………74 1-The Main factors for the formation of the armed wing of the ANC............... …75 1.1. The Zeerust Uprising......................................................................................75 1.2. The Sharpeville Massacre...............................................................................76 1.3. The Treason Trial............................................................................................78